A new exhibition titled Recollect is now open in the Florence County Museum’s Education Gallery and will be on display through December 12, 2024.

Celebrating 10 years in its current location and almost 100 years as an institution, Recollect describes the history of the museum. The exhibition takes a closer look at its earliest acquisitions and asks the viewer to consider how the museum has changed over time.

Historical objects and images chronicle the past, present and future of the museum’s work, including the role of museum founder Jane Beverly Evans and her vision.

Through her travels, Evans met Kenneth Chapman, one of the first employees of the Museum of New Mexico. The catalyst of the Florence County Museum’s formation as an institution was the purchase of a Southwestern Pottery Collection under Chapman’s care. On display are color reproductions of Chapman’s Pueblo Indian Pottery illustrations and select pieces from the initial purchase by Evans. Viewers are invited to consider their meaning and significance. A magnetic wall featuring pottery sherds is available for younger viewers to explore. 

An exhibition take-home booklet describing Southwestern pottery forms, related vocabulary and reflective questions is available at no cost. Gallery narratives are available in English audio and Spanish text on the museum website. 

Programming related to this exhibition includes Summer Camps, Fall Family Days and a museum anniversary weekend October 11-12.

This exhibition is supported by SC Humanities. The mission of SC Humanities is to enrich the cultural and intellectual lives of all South Carolinians. Established in 1973, this 501(c)3 organization is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors comprised of community leaders from throughout the state. It presents and supports literary initiatives, lectures, exhibits, festivals, publications, oral history projects, videos, and other humanities-based experiences that directly or indirectly reach more than 250,000 citizens annually. South Carolina Humanities receives funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities as well as corporate, foundation and individual donors. The National Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy demands wisdom.

The Florence County Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, Sundays 2:00 to 5:00 pm and open for extended hours on Thursdays through 7:00 pm. Admission is free. For more information, visit flocomuseum.org or call 843.676.1200.