Oglebay Institute is a

501(c)(3) A 501(c)(3) organization is a United States corporation, trust, unincorporated association or other type of organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of Title 26 of the United States Code. It is one of the 29 types of 50 ...

non-profit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

Oglebay Institute
. ''Exempt Organizations Select Check''. Internal Revenue Service. Retrieved September 7, 2016. incorporated on July 29, 1930, and located in Wheeling, West Virginia, Oglebay Institute, Inc.
. ''West Virginia Secretary of State''. Retrieved September 7, 2016. United States of America.

History

The organization's founder, Earl W. Oglebay willed his country estate to the City of Wheeling for use "as a public park for the enjoyment, recreation and education of the greatest number of people." Part of Oglebay's vision allowed for an organization that would offer cultural and educational activities. Thus, Oglebay Institute was formed to be governed by an elected Board of Trustees. Under the terms of the bequest by the late Colonel E. W. Oglebay in 1926, the area now known as Oglebay Park was given to the City of Wheeling for "so long as the people shall operate it for purposes of public recreation and education". Shortly after acceptance of the bequest by the City of Wheeling two years later, Oglebay Institute was incorporated (1930) with the following stated objectives and purposes: Five departments offer programs in dance;

environmental education Environmental education (EE) refers to organized efforts to teach how natural environments function, and particularly, how human beings can manage behavior and ecosystems to live sustainably. It is a multi-disciplinary field integrating discip ...

; performing arts; regional history, interpretation and presentation; and visual and creative arts. The six facilities which encompass OI include: the

Glass Glass is a non-crystalline, often transparent, amorphous solid that has widespread practical, technological, and decorative use in, for example, window panes, tableware, and optics. Glass is most often formed by rapid cooling (quenching) of ...

Museum, the Mansion Museum, the Stifel Fine Arts Center, the School of Dance, Towngate Theatre & Cinema and the Schrader Environmental Education Center.

Museums of Oglebay Institute

Purchased by Colonel Earl W. Oglebay in 1900 as his summer retreat, the Mansion Museum features period antiques and depicts Wheeling's history from Pioneer times through the

Victorian era In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the period of Queen Victoria's reign, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. The era followed the Georgian period and preceded the Edwardia ...

. The Glass Museum features 3,000 examples of Wheeling glass and china made from 1820–1939, including the famous Sweeney Punch Bowl, the largest piece of cut

lead glass Lead glass, commonly called crystal, is a variety of glass in which lead replaces the calcium content of a typical potash glass. Lead glass contains typically 18–40% (by weight) lead(II) oxide (PbO), while modern lead crystal, historically als ...

in the world. Other highlights include the Sinclair Pharmacy and Wymer General Store exhibits, and glassmaking demonstrations. The museums are located in Oglebay Park, Wheeling. The mansion was placed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 1979.

Oglebay Institute's Stifel Fine Arts Center

The Stifel Center brings experiences in visual and performing arts to the public. Programs include changing art exhibitions in the Hart Galleries, jazz concerts, wine tasting events and

cabaret Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music, song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, a casino, a hotel, a restaurant, or a nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dining or d ...

s. A hands-on teaching facility, the Stifel Center hosts dozens of classes for children and adults. Oglebay Institute Administrative Offices also are housed at the Stifel. The Stifel is located at 1330 National Road, Wheeling. It is housed at Edemar, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.

Schrader Environmental Education Center

Attractions include the A.B. Brooks Discovery Trail System, Children's Awareness Area, EarthTrek Exhibit Hall and the Corson Wildflower and Butterfly Gardens. This hands-on facility offers seasonal events and is one of the region's examples of "

Green Architecture Sustainable architecture is architecture that seeks to minimize the negative environmental impact of buildings through improved efficiency and moderation in the use of materials, energy, development space and the ecosystem at large. Sustainable ...

." The Schrader also operates the Terra Alta Mountain Camp in

Terra Alta, West Virginia Terra Alta is a town in eastern Preston County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 1,415 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Morgantown metropolitan area. History Terra Alta was originally called Portland, and under the latter na ...

. The Center is located at Oglebay Park in Wheeling.

Oglebay Institute's School of Dance

Classes include

ballet Ballet () is a type of performance dance that originated during the Italian Renaissance in the fifteenth century and later developed into a concert dance form in France and Russia. It has since become a widespread and highly technical form of ...

, tap,

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

, hip-hop, Irish step, belly dance, ballroom traditions, fitness and more. Performance troupes and dance concerts bring fine entertainment to area residents and give dancers an opportunity to perform in public.

Towngate Theatre & Cinema

The theater is located at 2118 Market Street, Wheeling.

References

External links

Oglebay Institute website
{{Authority control Organizations established in 1930 Non-profit organizations based in West Virginia Dance education in the United States 501(c)(3) organizations Historic house museums in West Virginia Arts centers in West Virginia Glass museums and galleries in the United States Nature centers in West Virginia Wheeling, West Virginia Art museums and galleries in West Virginia Museums in Wheeling, West Virginia Education in Wheeling, West Virginia Tourist attractions in Ohio County, West Virginia 1930 establishments in West Virginia Dance in West Virginia