Maryland Humanities has chosen five sites to host “The Way We Worked,” a traveling Smithsonian Institution exhibition, which will tour throughout Maryland from February to November 2017 and showcase Maryland’s unique work stories and history. The host sites include Brunswick Heritage Museum in Brunswick, Carroll County Farm Museum in Westminster, Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) Post # 25: Sumner Hall in Chestertown, Salisbury University Art Galleries in Salisbury, and Western Maryland Heritage Association in Cumberland.
The Way We Worked is the fifth Museum on Main Street (MoMS) project brought to small communities throughout Maryland by Maryland Humanities. Adapted from an original exhibition developed by the National Archives, the Way We Worked explores how work became such a central element in American culture by tracing the many changes that affected the workforce and work environments over the past 150 years. Each of the five sites chosen will host the exhibit for six weeks and develop a complementary exhibit highlighting their community’s local work stories and histories. Local exhibits and related programming will highlight the often-untold stories of people in each host site’s community.
“The sites chosen celebrate Maryland’s diverse and engaging work history, from the paper and steel mills of the 19th Century to the technology boom of today. We can’t wait to explore the rich local history unearthed through each community’s companion exhibit and programming,” said Phoebe Stein, executive director of Maryland Humanities.
The Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) Post # 25: Sumner Hall will host the exhibit in Chestertown with partners that include C.V. Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience at Washington College, Downtown Chestertown Initiative, Sultana Education Foundation, Kent County Public Library, Upper Shore Workforce Investment Board, and Kent County Schools.
Nina Johnson, president of the Board of Directors of Sumner Hall, said: “We are thrilled to have been designated as one of the Maryland sites to host The Way We Worked exhibition! Sumner Hall and the C.V. Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience at Washington College—along with our other great partners—expect to create a real celebration to honor all workers in our community while the exhibition is in Chestertown. And we look forward to engaging a wide range of citizens and visitors at our museum, the former home of the African-American Civil War Veterans of Charles Sumner Post #25, Grand Army of the Republic.”
Tour Schedule:
February 3–March 24, 2017 Western Maryland Heritage Association, Cumberland, Allegany County
March 31–May 19, 2017 Sumner Hall (G.A.R. Post 15), Chestertown, Kent County
May 26–July 14, 2017 Carroll County Farm Museum, Westminster, Carroll County
July 21–September 8, 2017 Brunswick Heritage Museum, Brunswick, Frederick County
September 15–November 3, 2017 Salisbury University Art Galleries, Salisbury, Wicomico County
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