Downtown Salisbury getting new museum featuring Ward Museum pieces: Everything to know

A big change is coming to downtown Salisbury, with a new museum in the works from Salisbury University that will feature rotating works from the former Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art.

Here's what we know so far, plus more on why the collection is moving downtown.

New museum coming to Powell Building in downtown Salisbury

The Museum of Eastern Shore Culture at Salisbury University, as it will be known, is tentatively set to open by Summer 2024 in the Powell Building downtown at 218 W. Main St., adjacent to SU downtown. It will feature exhibits and information related to local culture, including items formerly displayed at the Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art.

“As part of SU’s growing downtown presence, the museum will allow us to continue showcasing these priceless works of art while expanding into broader areas, including folklife, traditional arts and the rich regional heritage of the Eastern Shore and the Delmarva Peninsula,” said Dr. Laurie Couch, SU provost and senior vice president of academic affairs.

More on Salisbury's downtown: Downtown Salisbury getting big changes: Here's what's ahead for the vital area

Ward brothers will be featured in permanent exhibit

Among the exhibits upon opening will be a permanent display dedicated to the legacy of two world-renowned artists from Crisfield, Lem and Steve Ward, namesakes of the former Ward Museum.

According to a release sent out by Salisbury University, the new museum will not bear the Ward name: "Out of respect to the continuing efforts of the Ward Foundation, which founded the Ward Museum in 1992 and partnered with SU to operate the facility after its assets were transferred to the University in 2000, SU is not carrying over the 'Ward' name to the new space."

The new museum will, however, have among its leadership key figures who led the Ward Museum in the past.

“The Ward Brothers and the art they created are an integral part of the heritage of the Eastern Shore,” said Raye-Valion Gillette, curator and folklife specialist of the Museum of Eastern Shore Culture and former curator of the Ward Museum.

“It is important for us to recognize their contributions while also expanding the scope of the new space to include aspects of local culture beyond wildfowl art,” added Alexandra Kean, museum operations coordinator of the Museum of Eastern Shore Culture and previous interim deputy director of the Ward Foundation.

OC museum to focus on Black history: Ocean City will get museum hailing its Black history at Henry Hotel: Everything to know

Ward Museum pieces will be in new space on rotating basis

Items from the former Ward Museum will be on display on a rotating basis, as they were at their former home. Partnership agreements are being put in place with several area arts and cultural organizations to display select pieces of the collection.

Notable future partners include the Delmarva Discovery Museum; Wicomico County Recreation, Parks and Tourism; and the Somerset County Historical Society. Items not on display will be kept in climate-controlled storage.

“Our top goals are to ensure the artwork is cared for and remains accessible to the public,” said Kean.

Rotating exhibits will feature artwork by students and regional artists, as well as displays focusing on indigenous cultures and collaborations with other community organizations.

“As a leader, community partner and educational resource, the Museum of Eastern Shore Culture will create engaging experiences representative of the region’s rich and diverse heritage and artistic expression,” said Gillette, noting the vision statement for the facility.

Admission to the museum will be free.

Latest business news: Together Cafe to open in TidalHealth, new Pines convenience center | What's Going There

What led to the closure of the Ward Museum building?

In July 2022, a critical HVAC failure in the Schumaker Pond building’s gallery section caused mold to appear on portions of the museum’s collection.

Insurance claims related to that process and the failed HVAC system were denied, exacerbating the Ward Foundation’s ongoing financial issues. Due to the need for precise climate control to best preserve artifacts for long-term display and storage, museum-quality HVAC systems are much more complicated — and much more expensive — than those typically installed in homes and most office and retail buildings.

As remediation began, the Ward Foundation and SU investigated the best way to fix or replace the HVAC system at a level appropriate to preserve the collection for the long term. State procurement estimates averaged $10 million, with the galleries remaining closed for at least another year to allow installation.

In addition to the HVAC system, other building systems, including the facility’s roof, plumbing, drainage, “envelope” (foundation, roof and walls) and more also are facing expensive maintenance issues. Total cost to rehabilitate the structure through the state procurement process is estimated at nearly $19 million.

In an effort to limit these liabilities and return public access to the collection as quickly as possible, SU and the foundation agreed that finding a new location for the museum was the best solution.

Salisbury University no longer maintains an operating agreement with the Ward Foundation to act as an affiliated foundation of the university.

Delmar jeep event gets final approval: Big Delmar Jeep event moves forward, but leaves many questions in its wake

“SU and the Ward Foundation have maintained a favorable relationship for the past 23 years, and we are grateful for the care the foundation has provided for the university’s collection,” said Karen Olmstead, SU provost and senior vice president of academic affairs, in a release from the university in March of 2023.

“In light of long-standing issues in the current facility on Schumaker Pond, a misalignment of goals for the collection and activities, and the foundation’s unsustainable financial model, SU believes the dissolution of this affiliation is in the best interest of the collection and the preservation of its cultural significance.”

This article originally appeared on Salisbury Daily Times: Downtown Salisbury museum will showcase valuable Ward Museum art