Chapel Hill Museum was a local cultural and historical museum in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The museum was founded in 1996 by leaders of the Town of Chapel Hill's Bicentennial Committee and celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2006. In the decade since its founding, Chapel Hill Museum averaged over 20,000 visitors a year and provided education programs to over 3,500 local students a year.Morgan, Ed (2007). Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill: a photographic portrait, p.107-108. Twin Lights Publishers, Inc., Rockport, Mass. . Twin Lights Publishers, Inc. Official website with PDF of book The museum closed on July 11, 2010.
History The building in which the museum was housed was designed by architect Don Stewart and dedicated in 1968 as the Chapel Hill Public Library.Chapel Hill Public Library Official Website “History of the Library” Though contemporary in design, the structure and site incorporate many familiar elements of Chapel Hill construction, such as stonework and lush vegetation.
After a new library was built on Estes Drive, the building at 523 E. Franklin had multiple uses, including the housing of the Chapel Hill Historical Society, before becoming the site for the Chapel Hill Museum.
The upstairs was divided among two gallery spaces, a gift shop, a director's office, a volunteer room and a kitchen/workroom space. On the lower level is a meeting room, the offices of the Historical Society, and the archival storage areas of the museum.
Since its opening in 1996, the museum engaged in partnerships with numerous community organizations, university departments, and individuals, including: the Arts Center, Carolina Center for Public Service, Chapel Hill News, Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, Chapel Hill Fire Department, Chapel Hill Police Department, Chapel Hill Garden Club, Chapel Hill Historical Society, Chapel Hill Public Arts Commission, Guild of Natural Science Illustrators, International Association of Firefighters, Kidzu Children's Museum, Lincoln High School Alumni, North Carolina Botanical Garden, North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources, North Carolina Governor's Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service, North Carolina Historical Reenactment Society, North Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Education and Research Center, North Carolina Pottery Center, North Carolina Symphony – Triangle Youth Symphony, Orange County Arts Commission, Orange County Smart Start Program, Preservation North Carolina, Preservation Society of Chapel Hill, Robert Ruark Society, Ruth Faison Shaw Foundation, Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, Southern Foodways Alliance, The Paul Green Foundation, Town of Chapel Hill (Chapel Hill Public Library; Parks and Recreation; Bicentennial Committee; Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership; Archives/Storage for Town and Library; Sister City; Town archives research support), Triangle Guild of Weavers, Triangle Youth Ballet, UNC-CH (Center for the Study of the South; Coker Arboretum; Creative Writing Department; Department of English; Department of History; Kenan-Flagler Business School; School of Journalism – Photojournalism program; School of Medicine – The Burn Center; School of Public Health; Service Learning Program – APPLES; Wilson Library – North Carolina Collection; Southern Historical Collection; Sonja Haynes Stone Black Cultural Center), University of North Carolina Press, and Visitor's Bureau of Orange County/Chapel Hill.
Individuals include Michael Brown, Mildred Council, Janet Green, Kaffe Fassett, Bill Friday, Frances Hargraves, Mark Hewitt, Luther Hodges Jr., Everett James and Nancy Farmer, Alexander Julian, Thomas Kenan III, Georgia Kyser, Howard and Lillian Lee, Siglinda Scarpa, Bland Simpson, R.D. and Euzelle Smith, Maxine Swalin, James Taylor, Bob Timberlake, David zum Brunnen and Serena Ebhardt.
The collection
Permanent exhibits Meet Me On Franklin Street Franklin Street (Chapel Hill) is the heart of Chapel Hill, home to long-time traditions, and the place to go for restaurants, shopping, parades, protests, and celebrations. From the auction of the village lots in 1793, to the 2005 celebration of UNC's basketball championship, exhibit visitors stroll down a 1940s streetscape, photographed by Bayard Wooten, and experience Franklin Street then and now.Schwartz, Joe. “Finding the Pulse of Franklin Street” Independent Weekly, 2009-09-16. Retrieved on 2010-01-20. Alexander Julian A native of Chapel Hill, fashion designer Alexander Julian is a five-time Coty Award winner and the youngest inductee to the Fashion Hall of Fame.Moore, Nancy. "Alexander Julian gets next to James Taylor in new display at Chapel Hill Museum," The Gaston Gazette, 2007-01-07. Retrieved on 2010-02-01. Heroes of Yesterday, Heroes of Today: The History of the Chapel Hill Fire Department In 1902, the first Chapel Hill firefighters were a handful of volunteers who were determined to protect the community's life and property. This new multi-media exhibit, opening August 23, 2007, details the expansions and advancements of the department throughout its history.Chapel Hill Fire Department Official Website Chapel Hill's 1914 Fire Truck The town's original 1914 fire truck currently lives in retirement at the Chapel Hill Museum."Town of Chapel Hill 1914 Ford Model T Fire Truck Lease" Carolina On My Mind: The James Taylor Story A comprehensive exhibition of the life and work of James Taylor, one of Chapel Hill's favorite sons, the exhibit includes his actual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame trophy, the Grammy for the “Hourglass’ album, photographs and documents from his early life in Chapel Hill and a video documentary theater. Farmer/James Pottery Collection Pottery by North Carolinian and southern potters, from a significant survey collection of southern art pottery. A portion of the 280-piece collection is on display permanently. It was donated by noted author and folklore expert, Dr. A. Everrette James, and his wife, Dr. Nancy Farmer.James, A. Everette. "North Carolina Seagrove Pottery: The Transition Period," The Journal of Antiques August 2004. Link to article The Paul Green Legacy As novelist, Dramatist Laureate of NC, professor of Drama and Philosophy at UNC-Chapel Hill, playwright, musician, Pulitzer recipient, inventor of the concept of symphonic outdoor drama and an ardent champion of human and civil rights, Paul Green is one of North Carolina's favorite sons. The exhibition documents Green's life, work and legacy.More information about Paul Green and the theater dedicated to him at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Rotating Exhibits Current rotating exhibit information is found on the Chapel Hill Museum website.Chapel Hill Museum Official Website
Past Exhibits A sample list of past exhibits. There are more past exhibits listed in the Chapel Hill Museum Archives online.
Town Treasures (October 2 – November 30, 2008) – The recognition of Town Treasures is an annual program of the Chapel Hill Historical Society and will be exhibited at the Chapel Hill Museum, acknowledging the contributions the individuals make to the community through long years of extraordinary service.Griffith, Andrea. "Historical Society Announces New Class of Town Treasures," Chapel Hill Magazine 2009-09-30. Retrieved on: 2010-02-01. "Link to the article" Chapel Hill Historical Society Official Website Hard Circus Road: The Odyssey of the North Carolina Symphony – The exhibit featured the story of Lamar Stringfield, who started the North Carolina Symphony in 1932, and Benjamin and Maxine Swalin, who took the Symphony from its humble beginnings to its current state. Pieces included programs from early symphony concerts, photographs, and early press articles on the North Carolina's traveling musicians.North Carolina Symphony Official Website Of Field, Forest and Fancy: Artwork by the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators (June 7 – September 30, 2007) – This was the second annual exhibit of the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators at the Chapel Hill Museum. The artwork focused on the varied forms of nature found across the state of North Carolina. 20 artists exhibited their works.Guild of Natural Science Illustrators Official Website Lincoln High – The exhibit featured the story of the town's only all-Black High School before desegregation. A visual documentary that captured the Lincoln High experience of Orange County African Americans who attended the school from 1951 until it closed in 1966. The exhibition chronicles the academic, athletic and artistic history of Lincoln High students and teachers. Exhibited portraits of Lincoln High alumni were taken by famed area photographer, Bob Gilgor. Why? – A Community-Wide Project (April 1 – May 30, 2007) – The Chapel Hill Public Arts Commission's community-wide project was hosted by the Chapel Hill Museum for the fourth year. This exhibit was part of a larger exhibit hosted in many venues throughout the Chapel Hill community. 37th Frame: The Best of Carolina Photojournalism – This annual show was held at the Chapel Hill Museum for five years and is open to all University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill photojournalism students who have taken a class within the last year. Local professional photojournalists have juried the assembled work, which documents scenes both locally and internationally.Carolina Photojournalism Official Website Nature Illustrated: Flora and Fauna of North Carolina (June 1 – September 5, 2006) – Work focused on the flora and fauna found across the state of North Carolina. 17 artists exhibited their varied works. Two education programs for area children were presented throughout the run of the exhibit. The Life and Writing of Robert Ruark (April 20 – July 23, 2006) – Robert Ruark was a journalist, author, world traveler, sportsman, syndicated columnist, and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill alumnus who was known as a "poor man's Hemingway".George, Cindy. , The New & Observer, 2006-04-20. Retrieved on 2019-01-29. Chapel Hill Museum collaborated with the Robert Ruark Society of Chapel Hill and the UNC-Chapel Hill's Creative Writing department's second annual Robert Ruark Short Story Award ceremony to present the special exhibition documenting this journalist/novelists colorful life (1915–1965) and work. It included his works and many photographs. Lost and Found: 2006 Community ART Project (March 23 – May 15, 2006) – Chapel Hill Museum was the main venue for the Chapel Hill Public Arts Commission's third annual community-wide art project, on view throughout Chapel Hill and Carrboro. Triangle Black & White Photography (January 12 – March 19, 2006) – The Triangle Black and White Photography group is a collection of photographers who share a passion for conventional black-and-white photography and traditional printing methods utilizing wet darkroom technology. The collection of artwork was accompanied by a selection of vintage cameras on loan from Southeastern Camera and Supply of Carrboro, NC.Triangle Black & White Photography Group Official Website The Transformation of Memorial Hall (September 8 . October 22, 2005) – This exhibit coincided with the reopening of Memorial Hall Auditorium, the museum presented an exhibition of photographs by Catharine Carter. It captured three years of renovation to the historic landmark on the campus of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.Carolina Performing Arts Official Website Battle Park: A Natural Space in Four Seasons (November 18, 2004 – March 13, 2005) – Chapel Hill photographer Tama Hochbaum documented the "wild yet slightly manicured" landscape found in UNC-Chapel Hill's Battle Park.Tama Hochbaum's Official Website
Education Programs