Andy Griffith Museum facts for kids
Andy Griffith with Ron Howard in 1961
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| Established | September 26, 2009 |
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| Location | 218 Rockford Street Mount Airy, North Carolina 27030 |
| Founder | Emmett Forrest |
The Andy Griffith Museum is a special place that celebrates the life of Andy Griffith. He was a famous American actor, TV producer, and singer. This museum holds the world's biggest collection of items related to Andy Griffith. You can find it in his hometown, Mount Airy, North Carolina. Many of the cool things in the museum were collected by his good friend, Emmett Forrest, who also started the museum. It first opened its doors on September 26, 2009.
Contents
Discovering the Museum's Home
The Andy Griffith Museum is located in Mount Airy, North Carolina. It's about half a mile from where Andy Griffith grew up as a child. The museum building is 2,500 square feet in size. It cost about $500,000 to build. Right next to it, you'll find the Andy Griffith Playhouse.
How the Museum Started
The idea for the museum came from Emmett Forrest. He was a friend of Andy Griffith's since they were in elementary school. Emmett worked with the Surry Arts Council for over 25 years to plan this museum. The Andy Griffith Museum officially opened on September 26, 2009. In 2017, the museum got a big upgrade. This project cost $600,000, with $200,000 coming from the city.
Exploring the Museum's Collection
The museum's main display comes from a huge collection of Andy Griffith items. These were all donated by Emmett Forrest. The Surry Arts Council didn't actually own the collection until Emmett passed away in 2013. After that, his family gave the collection to the museum. Many of the items were old and needed care. The museum worked hard to keep them in good condition.
What You Can See Inside
You can see many personal items that belonged to Andy Griffith. For example, there's a rocking chair that Andy's father, Carl Griffith, made for his mother, Geneva. A large part of the museum shows items from the TV shows The Andy Griffith Show and Matlock. The Andy Griffith Show was on TV from 1960 to 1968.
The museum also has things related to other actors from The Andy Griffith Show. You can see items from Betty Lynn, who played Barney's girlfriend. She lived in Mount Airy for many years. There are also items from the actor Don Knotts.
