Smithsonian traveling exhibition coming to Crab Orchard Museum
Jan. 24—TAZEWELL, Va. — Starting Jan.22, the Smithsonian's Museum on Main Street, in cooperation with the Virginia Association of Museums, will present "Crossroads: Change in Rural America" at the Historic Crab Orchard Museum.
The exhibition examining the evolving landscape of rural American will be at the museum until Feb. 26.
The Historic Crab Orchard Museum and the surrounding community has been chosen by the Virginia Association of Museums to host "Crossroads" as part of the Museum on Main Street program — a national/state/local partnership to bring exhibitions and programs to rural cultural organizations, organizers said.
Located at 3663 Crab Orchard Road, Tazewell, Va, Historic Crab Orchard Museum is open Tuesday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The museum can be contacted at 276-988-6755.
"Crossroads" explores how rural American communities changed in the 20th century. The vast majority of the United States landscape remains rural with only 3.5 percent of the landmass considered urban. Since 1900, the percentage of Americans living in rural areas dropped from 60 percent to 17 percent. The exhibition looks at that societal change and how rural Americans responded.
Americans have relied on rural crossroads for generations, the exhibit's organizers said. These places where people gather to exchange goods, services and culture and to engage in political and community discussions are an important part of the country's cultural fabric.
"'Crossroads' allows visitors to reflect on our Appalachian history, present, and future and we are excited to explore what the future may hold for our community," said Executive Director Cynthia Farmer.
"We want to convene conversations about what makes our community unique and have developed local exhibitions and public programs to complement the Smithsonian exhibition," Farmer said.
Designed for small-town museums, libraries and cultural organizations, "Crossroads" will serve as a community meeting place for conversations about how rural America has changed, organizers said.
With the support and guidance of state humanities councils, these towns will develop complementary exhibits, host public programs and facilitate educational initiatives to raise people's understanding about their own history, the joys and challenges of living rural, how change has impacted their community, and prompt discussion of goals for the future, organizers said.
The exhibition is part of Museum on Main Street, a collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), state humanities councils across the nation, and local host institutions. To learn more about "Crossroads" and other Museum on Main Street exhibitions, visit www.museumonmainstreet.org.
— Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com
Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com
