[Durham INC] Durham History Museum launches website

[John Schelp]

Proposed Museum of Durham History Launches Website

Portal to Community Awareness Building and Fundraising is New Face for Durham’s First History Museum

The Board of the Directors of the proposed Museum of Durham History announce the launch of the Museum’s website http://www.museumofdurhamhistory.org, an interactive online resource that invites community participation with information and updates on the Museum’s progress as community leaders plan and develop Durham’s first history museum. 

Users can access the Museum of Durham History’s mission, planned scope of activities, and an account of the efforts to found a history museum in Durham. The site features a  photo gallery with over 25 striking iconic images of Durham’s history—tobacco, architecture, the struggle for civil rights, the arts and education and links to other Durham history-related organizations providing a platform for creating an interactive community of enthusiasts to build upon a vision for the Museum’s success.

Tom Krakauer, Museum of Durham History Board Chairman adds, “The website invites community input for comments and ideas, and provides the opportunity to get on the ground floor of the Museum for collection purposes and for making financial gifts.”

Inaugural Programming and Exhibit Initiatives

Three programs supporting community awareness, collections and fundraising (respectively) are now in progress:

The Museum’s first exhibit Celebrating the Arts in Durham is a series of striking banners featuring key people, places and events in the history of the arts in Durham currently traveling to sites throughout the city.  

The Heritage Inventory, a first-ever inventory of Durham-related historical objects, invites public entities and private individuals to identify historical artifacts.   The information will be invaluable as the Museum begins to plan its exhibits.

Finally,  a Durham Festival of Music will take place in Fall 2010.   Music has always been Durham’s most prominent art form—from Piedmont blues to gospel, from classical training to late night jazz.  In celebration of this rich history, the Museum is collaborating with area organizations to present live performances accompanied by video and narration telling Durham’s compelling music stories. The 

Museum of Durham History Background

Southgate Jones, Sr. offered the city his house and its contents for a museum in the 1940s.  The city never acted on his offer and urban renewal eventually claimed the house.  Durham has talked about, met about, and hoped for a museum ever since.  

Durham’s Cultural Master Plan, a city and county initiative completed in 2004, rated a history museum one of the highest priorities. Jane Goodridge, past president of Preservation Durham, convened a group involved in heritage-related activities.  The Museum of Durham History Advisory Committee has met since 2006 to steer the Museum toward becoming a reality.  

The current Museum board of seven members is in place with Tom Krakauer, President Emeritus of the Museum of Life and Science, as Chairman. The advisory committee of volunteers is now active in program task forces.

Museum planners envision using carefully chosen artifacts, interpretive text, multimedia presentations, programs, online communities, and guided tours to tell Durham’s stories.  A myriad of fascinating subjects are available for interpretation: tobacco, textile mills, civil rights, sports, architecture, the blues, early settlers, Native Americans and more. The group is working toward a permanent location in downtown Durham.

The mission of the Museum of Durham History is to make the stories of Durham’s past available to the local community and visitors and encourage people to appreciate the captivating richness of Durham’s history.

www.museumofdurhamhistory.org

Info: Tom Krakauer, Board chair, tkrakauer at mindspring.com, 471-9459
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