Supporting the Captain Avery Museum
Executive Director’s Message for 2020-2021
No doubt Captain Avery sailed some difficult waters in his time on the Chesapeake Bay. Likewise, his namesake museum is facing some choppy waters now. Fortunately, the Captain Avery Museum is in a good position to not only weather this storm, but to emerge a better museum and community center.
Here are three reasons why:
First, just as the clouds gathered in early March, the finishing touches were being put on our major renovations accomplished with the guidance of our committed board and the generous help of our members, sponsors, and grantors. An open and airy great room, a new entrance porch to the museum, handicapped access from our waterfront porch, and much-needed storage and interior doors make visiting the museum more inviting, functional, and fun!
Second, we applied for and received emergency funding from foundations and government – a show of their confidence in our ability and determination to thrive.
Third, we have a major opportunity at this time to complete our journey to a modern, fully re-imagined museum. We have already done the work to set the stage. We have culled through centuries of historic artifacts and researched how best to position our unique museum. We have also developed a professional roadmap to tell the stories of Salem and Lucretia Avery and the Shady Side community in the context of our precious Chesapeake Bay.
Your help is needed for the next step of designing and installing the museum exhibits to showcase our artifacts and stories. This can happen now so we can reopen our new museum in 2021. We have just been awarded a Maryland state grant to help with funding, but your support is needed to match this grant, and will be leveraged many times over. Please consider joining Captain Avery Museum or making an increase in your membership support this year. It is especially needed now, and it will go further than ever before.
Please consider an additional gift or choose one of the higher levels of memberships to help us realize our vision for Captain Avery Museum. With your help, there will be clear skies ahead for Captain Avery Museum and our entire community!
