MAS - Executive Summary
The Museum of Arts and Sciences (MAS), located at 4182 Forsyth Road in Macon Georgia is open daily except for Mondays with the schedule available on their website. The MAS was initially the inspiration of two Bibb country teachers who had visited a youth museum and came back to Macon with a desire to create a museum for the area youth. The educators would gain advocates and funding within the community and began in one room in the Wesleyan Conservatory which they rapidly outgrew by the early 1960’s. The museum is currently celebrating 55 years of growth, education, and expanding as of June 11, 2011 through the continued community support, the commitment to growth, the board and staff of the museum, members, dedicated volunteers, and future plans.
In 1956, two Bibb county teachers began with an idea of bringing a youth museum to the students in their county and those dreams and many more have been achieved at the Museum of Arts and Sciences in Macon. The Museum is now 55 years old and stronger than ever operating with the mission statement:
In 1956, two Bibb county teachers began with an idea of bringing a youth museum to the students in their county and those dreams and many more have been achieved at the Museum of Arts and Sciences in Macon. The Museum is now 55 years old and stronger than ever operating with the mission statement:
- ‘It shall be the purpose of the Museum of Arts and Sciences to acquire, preserve, study, interpret, and exhibit objects of artistic, scientific, historical, or cultural value, that have inherent significance for the people of Middle Georgia, so as to promote a fuller understanding of man, his heritage and environment.’
- ‘The Museum of Arts and Sciences is a regional resource of life long learning and enrichment that engages its audience by presenting objects and experiences designed to evoke wonder, stimulate curiosity, and open minds to new worlds of discover.’
While continuing to follow core values such as a commitment to education and community service. The Museum, which is getting a brand new planetarium complete with a Super Mediaglobe II by Konakot and what will by the 3rd largest dome in Georgia once completed in January 2012, sits on 18 acres of land, has a replica Banyan tree behind the Discovery House which is home to live animals including the Geoffrey's tamarins, a small monkey as well as many other animals, and houses an 8,000 piece permanent art collection. The commitment to the community has reaped benefits that the museum no doubt did not expect in return and has continued to grow the museum’s collection and resources so that the museum is better able to serve the community.
There are many people who make the Museum a success both past and present. The current key staff includes Suzzane Harper, Executive Director; Susan Mays, Education Curator; Jim Greenhouse, Curator of Exhibits and Planetarium; Stella Brown, Development Director; and Lisa Fisher, Human Resources. In addition to staff are the volunteers, board, members, artists, donors, and advocates. Sometimes these roles overlap as in the case of Bill Christy, a long time volunteer at the museum who enjoyed archeology and uncovered a 40,000,000 year old fossilized Zygorhiza skeleton a.k.a. 'Ziggy' in a Huber kaolin mine which is now hanging in the museum.
Andrew Jackson Lyndon III, a native Macon resident and would be author if his dreams were realized died without obtaining fame from writing, but left in his passing the fame of his art collection to the MAS in the way of 33 works of art. This Macon resident is one of many Georgia residents who’s gifts of artwork to the museum that increase the value, validity, richness, culture, and board range of works are available for visitors.
It is perhaps exhibits such as the Josephine Sibley Couper Collection which bring together the sense of community, history, southern pride, education, and art skillfully and personally in the museum. Several generations and branches of the family tree work in connection past and present to keep the Couper works and all the memorabilia of the artist together in an irreplaceable collection which highlights the female artist as a talented artist balancing family life and her work. The artist is viewed in the museum catalogue by her family who are not only family but are also experts in the art field and include essays from her great nephew and Dr. Dorothy Joiner, an art historian from West Georgia College. As Dr. Joiner so eloquently wrote of the collection and the contribution of the collection, "The many who fashion the myriad lesser pieces are as essential to the legacy as the few responsible for the master works." (Couper Catalogue, 8)
The museum has had a long history of enriching the scientific, historical, cultural, and artistic lives of the visitors from all over the country and they continue to develop programs to enrich the community as well. It is in that spirit that the museum continues to build ties to the community and has recently partnered with NewTown Macon to provide Environmental Education programs at the Museum campus as well as at the Amerson Water Works Park. Amanda DePriest was hired in February as the Environmental Education Curator and is developing hands-on lessons and activities for students in accordance with the Georgia Performance Standards in addition to other groups including adult education groups. This project is yet another example of how the MAS is working with and through the community to enrich the community and provide another avenue of education and learning to Macon and to Georgia. (VIDEO)
The anniversary of 55 years of growth, community, art, and education having recently passed, Suzanne Harper, Executive Director, took a few moments to sit down and look toward the future of the museum. Suzanne discussed the issue of the recession and the impact the economic issues had on non-profit organizations regarding reduced visits, reductions in memberships, and reductions in government support and grants. She discussed strategies to combat the challenges such as identifying goals, needs, programs, and exhibits and how they will respond to the current and future needs of the community and the museum both in the sort and long term. There is currently a plan to put $250,000 into an emergency fund to help reduce the economic financial stress on the museum.
The continued community support and commitment to grow the community awareness of local artist has been a tradition now for 55 years for the Museum of Arts and Sciences and that tradition appears to only be getting stronger. The MAS is an inspiration in their humble beginnings and throughout their growth as a museum and an educational area facility.
Resources
Amerson Water Works Park
Georgia Performance Standards
Kaolin Mines
Museum of Arts and Sciences Website
Planitarium - Digital
Information obtained from Suzanne Harper interview, Museum of Arts and Sciences Website, Internal documents of the MAS, Dixie Steward Catalogue, Steffen Thomas: Georgia's German Expressionist 2000 Catalogue, The Andrew J. Lyndon III Collection Catalogue and the Muse - May/June 2001