Sandy Spring Museum was founded as a local history museum, preserving the history of the surrounding area of
Sandy Spring, MD. Today, by supporting community-driven cultural arts and educational programs, they gather community to build a sense of place and belonging.
History
An insurance salesman and auctioneer named Delmas Wood started the Sandy Spring Museum in 1981 because he thought Sandy Spring's history was gradually being lost as older residents died.
[ Wood wanted a place to preserve antique furniture, farm equipment, photographs, paintings, and documents of the Sandy Spring area.][ In October 1986,]Colonial
Colonial or The Colonial may refer to:
* Colonial, of, relating to, or characteristic of a colony or colony (biology)
Architecture
* American colonial architecture
* French Colonial
* Spanish Colonial architecture
Automobiles
* Colonial (1920 au ...
house that had been the home of Gladys Brooke Tumbleson, who had died earlier that year.[ Tumbleson descended from the Brooke family, for which nearby Brookeville was named.][ Tumbleson sold the building to the museum for less than market value.][
Mary Jane Forman Rice founded the Sandy Spring Museum Garden Club, a group of volunteers who tend to the museum's courtyard garden, in 1992.
Helen Bentley, the widow of baseball star Jack Bentley, donated of land on Bentley Road in Sandy Spring to the museum in 1994.][ The Bentleys' ancestors had lived in Sandy Spring since the late 18th century.][ They based the design local 18th century barns and houses in order to make sure it would blend in with the area.][ The arched walkway was originally planned from the road to the entrance, but it was shortened to save costs.][ The architects gave a distinctive feel to each room of the building, and Booz called the central courtyard the "best room in the museum".][
The museum's new building on Bentley Road opened in 1997, providing more room for the museum's exhibits.]Maryland Historical Trust
The Maryland Historical Trust is an agency of Maryland Department of Planning and serves as the Maryland State Historic Preservation Office. The agency serves to assist in research, conservation, and education, of Maryland's historical and cultural ...
awarded the Educational Excellence Award to Sandy Spring Museum for its interactive exhibit and web site in 2001.
In 2007, a addition opened, providing a research library and a collections storage facility for the museum.[
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Exhibits
Sandy Spring Museum's exhibits include a replica of a 19th-century classroom, a replica of a blacksmith's shop, a replica of a general store, and a tractor made from a Model T Ford
The Ford Model T is an automobile that was produced by Ford Motor Company from October 1, 1908, to May 26, 1927. It is generally regarded as the first affordable automobile, which made car travel available to middle-class Americans. The relati ...
.[ The museum has archived more than 15,000 artifacts and photographs from the area around Sandy Spring.][ Some of its collection dates back to 1650.][
There are temporary exhibitions that rotate quarterly which often focus on art and history or art and current events.]Montgomery College
Montgomery College (MC) is a Public college, public community college in Montgomery County, Maryland. Founded officially in 1946 as Montgomery Junior College, its name comes from the county in which it is located. The earliest start date that c ...
.[
Two new exhibits were designed by locals in 2014.][ Another exhibit recreated an existing exhibit about community gathering spaces.][
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References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sandy Spring Museum
1981 establishments in Maryland
501(c)(3) organizations
History museums in Maryland
Museums established in 1981
Museums in Montgomery County, Maryland
Non-profit organizations based in Maryland