Norman Gross Collection

Norman Gross is the local artist behind an 11-piece model boat collection documenting the maritime heritage of Shady Side through the generations of one family.  The historically significant collection documents and preserves black Chesapeake maritime heritage and will be a powerful story-telling tool in the museum’s upcoming companion exhibit and programming, “Buy Boats to Beaches,” which we are developing as a host of Smithsonian's Museum on Main Street traveling exhibition.  

The acquisition of the collection permits Captain Avery Museum to support local artistic excellence and allows a significant cultural and historic resource to be accessible indefinitely to the public for educational purposes. 

Stay tuned for more details!

Read an article about Norman and his boats here.