salisbury university
SALISBURY — Salisbury University’s Museum of Eastern Shore Culture will open in downtown Salisbury.
The museum, located on the first floor of the Powell Building at 218 W. Main St. adjacent to SU Downtown, is tentatively scheduled to open by summer 2024. The museum will display exhibits and information related to local culture, including previously exhibited items. Ward Wild Bird Museum.
“As part of SU’s expansion of its presence in downtown, this museum will allow us to preserve these treasured works of art while expanding into broader areas that include folk life, traditional art, and the rich regional heritage of the Eastern Shore and Delmarva Peninsula. can continue to be exhibited,” he said. Laurie Couch, SU provost and senior vice president for academic affairs;
Among the exhibits at the opening will be a permanent exhibit dedicated to the legacy of Lem Ward and Steve Ward, two world-renowned artists from Crisfield, Maryland, namesakes of the former Ward Art Museum. included. In honor of the continued efforts of the Ward Foundation, which established the Ward Museum in 1992 and operated the facility in partnership with SU after its assets were transferred to the university in 2000, the SU does not inherit the name to the district. new space.
“The Ward Brothers and the art they created are an integral part of the Eastern Shore’s heritage,” said Curator and Folklife Specialist at the Eastern Shore Museum of Culture and former Ward Museum curator. Ray Valion Gillette said.
“We want to recognize their contributions while also expanding the scope of the new space to include aspects of local culture beyond bird art,” said Alexandra Keene, museum operations coordinator and former interim deputy director of the Eastern Shore Cultural Museum. is also important,” he added. Ward Foundation.
The collections of the Old Borough Museum, like those at its previous home, are regularly exhibited. Partnership agreements have been signed with several regional arts and culture organizations to display selected works from the collection. Notable future partners include Delmarva Discovery Museum; Wicomico County Recreation, Parks, and Tourism. Somerset County Historical Society. Items not on display will be stored in a temperature-controlled warehouse.
“Our biggest goal is to ensure that works of art are cared for and remain accessible to the public,” Keene said.
Regular exhibitions feature work by student and area artists, as well as exhibits highlighting collaborations with Indigenous culture and other community organizations.
“As a leader, community partner, and educational resource, the Eastern Shore Cultural Museum creates engaging experiences that represent the region’s rich and diverse heritage and artistic expression,” Gillette said, referring to the facility’s vision statement. ,Stated.
In addition to exhibits, the museum offers workshops with local artisans, a speaker series featuring topics of local interest, featured artist talks, and regular youth and community programs three times a month in the Salisbury Arts & Entertainment District. Programs such as opening hours will also be held.rd Friday celebration.
“We want this to be a community space,” Keene said.
Admission to the museum is free. For more information, visit salisbury.edu/mesc.
