The Watts Museum’s Traveling Exhibits Program provides museums, libraries, historical societies and cultural institutions the opportunity to display and share our collections, research and exhibitions. Through this program, the Museum hopes to stimulate West Virginians’ awareness, enthusiasm and appreciation for their local history and reach audiences that otherwise would not have access to the Watts Museum’s resources.
The Watts Museum is currently offering four different traveling exhibits on topics pertaining to the social, cultural and technological history of our state’s industries. There is no exhibit fee to host a traveling exhibit, but borrowing organizations are responsible for the travel costs associated with the set-up and removal of the exhibits.
The current exhibits available for travel include:
- Light/Lubricant/Liniment: The Early Years of Oil Production and Consumption in West Virginia
- Helmet Men: Mine Rescuers of Appalachia’s Coalfields
- Defying the Darkness: The Struggle for Safe and Sufficient Mine Illumination
- Outside the Mine: Daily Life in a Coal Camp
Each exhibit features a variety of artifacts, photographs, and archival materials and is accompanied by interpretive panels and object labels. Additionally, press releases and photographs will be included in each exhibit package. The Watts Museum will work with borrowing organizations to meet the individual needs of each exhibit venue by making reasonable customization to an exhibit’s layout, size, and presentation. Whether your organization has a large gallery or a single display case, the Watts Museum can provide an exhibit that fits your space.
Additional exhibits will be made available for travel each year.
If your organization is interested in hosting one of the Watts Museum’s traveling exhibits, please e-mail wattsmuseum@mail.wvu.edu or call (304) 293-4609.