Amelia Island Museum Press Release
Submitted by Phyllis Davis
Executive Director
April 2, 2018 1:00 a.m.
The Amelia Island Museum of History (AIMH) announced a $400,000 Capital Campaign to completely renovate and update its existing exhibit spaces Thursday at the Museum. Both past and present Board of Trustee Members were invited to honor their contributions and to celebrate the future of AIMH.
The last update to our exhibit space was in 2000. We have come to understand that the story of the 8 flags is incomplete in many ways. The re-imagining of our exhibit spaces will make the Island’s story more compelling and more accessible to all ages and learning styles. Artifacts and scenically created environments in each room, along with the use of technology, will set up the story. Perhaps the greatest benefit of re-imagining the treatment of our history is the ability to incorporate much more fully all historical cultural groups, specifically African Americans and Hispanics, who contributed to who we are today.
We have the content (over 5000 artifacts) and the plan (completed in November, 2016) and now are ready to move forward with an exciting story that incorporates more technology, creating a 21st century experience that our over 25,000 yearly visitors expect.
To kick off the campaign the Museum has received a Challenge Grant of $50,000 from the Delores Barr Weaver Fund through the Community Foundation for Northeast Florida:
“I am excited to help jumpstart the Museum’s plan to tell Amelia Island’s remarkable story in a more compelling and accessible way,” noted Delores Barr Weaver. “I invite all those who appreciate the Island’s rich history to join me in supporting the Museum as it pays tribute to not only the many flags, but the many cultures—including African-Americans and Hispanics—that have played a significant role in the region.”
About the Delores Barr Weaver Fund
Delores Barr Weaver established this fund at The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida in 2012 to provide grants to nonprofit organizations that do work she has supported over many years and to encourage others to do so as well. Mrs. Weaver has an extraordinary legacy of philanthropy, and she has provided transformative support to dozens of nonprofit organizations that uplift, enlighten and advance our community. Her establishment of the Delores Barr Weaver Fund ($50 million) in 2012 was the largest gift in The Community Foundation’s history.
About The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida
The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida, Florida’s oldest and largest community foundation, works to stimulate philanthropy to build a better community. The Foundation helps donors invest their philanthropic gifts wisely, helps nonprofits serve the region effectively, and helps people come together to make the community a better place. Now in its 54th year, the Foundation has assets of more than $385 million and has made nearly $450 million in grants since 1964. For more information: www.jaxcf.org.
About the Amelia Island Museum of History
For over 40 years the Amelia Island Museum of History (AIMH) has been dedicated to the life and culture in Nassau County through education and preservation of its local history. This reinforces its Mission Statement, which is to “preserve, protect, and promote the unique history of Amelia Island and its surrounding area for a diverse community of residents, researchers, and visitors.” This is done through numerous programs:
• 13 weekly docent-led tours of the Museum
• 5 different walking or ‘step-on’ (for buses) tours for visitors to engage them outside the Museum building
• In-house student tours, led by docents, provided at no cost for all Nassau County public school students.
• Summer camp programs for both younger and older children, which immerse them in hands-on understanding of history (Scholarships are provided for students in need)
• Additional summer camp for America’s Youth, provided at no cost to the children or to America’s Youth
• Recording of quickly disappearing oral histories through our ‘Veterans History Project’ and ‘Heritage Keepers Project’
• Monthly Brown Bag lunches and “Third Friday on Third Street” lectures with invited speakers
• Pub Crawls and Ghost Tours for residents and visitors who like a ‘kick’ with their history
For more information about this campaign and the Delores Barr Weaver Fund Challenge Grant, call or email Phyllis Davis, 904-261-7378, x. 101 or [email protected].