Museum of the Shenandoah Valley facts for kids
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| Established | 2005 |
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| Location | 901 Amherst Street Winchester, Virginia 22601 United States |
| Type | Fine Arts, Decorative Arts, History |
The Museum of the Shenandoah Valley (MSV) is a cool place to explore art, history, and beautiful gardens. It's located in Winchester, Virginia, and helps keep the culture and history of the Shenandoah Valley alive. The MSV sits on the biggest green space in Winchester. It includes a museum building designed by a famous architect named Michael Graves, seven acres of amazing gardens, and the historic Glen Burnie House, which dates back to the 1700s.
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The Glen Burnie House
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The Glen Burnie Historic House has a long story. It started with a surveyor named James Wood, who settled this land in the early 1700s. He even gave some of his land to help start the city of Winchester, Virginia in 1744. His son, Robert Wood, built the main part of the Glen Burnie House in the 1790s.
The house stayed in the Wood and Glass families for many years. Then, Julian Wood Glass Jr. (1910–1992), who was the last family member to own it, bought it in 1955. Starting in 1959, Julian Wood Glass Jr. and his partner, R. Lee Taylor, turned the house into a grand country estate. They also designed the beautiful Glen Burnie Gardens. Before he passed away in 1992, Julian Wood Glass Jr. set up a special foundation. This foundation was given the job of opening the house and gardens to the public as a museum. The Glen Burnie Historic House & Gardens first opened its doors in 1998.
Today, you can see displays that tell the stories of the people who lived in the house from 1796 to 1992. There are also new art shows in the Drawing Room each year. The house is recognized as an important historical site on both the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register.
Amazing Gardens
The gardens around the Glen Burnie Historic House are truly special. They were started in 1956 and grew over many years. These gardens were made for big parties and events. They feature cool sculptures, splashing fountains, and fun "folly" buildings.
Some of the most popular parts include the rose garden, a statue garden, a vegetable garden, an Asian-inspired garden, and a perennial garden. If you visit the Water Garden, look closely at the pond – it's home to shiny golden trout!
The Museum Building
The main Museum of the Shenandoah Valley building was designed by the famous architect Michael Graves. It first opened to visitors in 2005. The museum has four main areas, each with different exhibits:
Shenandoah Valley History Gallery
This large gallery tells the whole story of the Shenandoah Valley, from ancient times to today. You can learn about its history through videos, interactive displays, maps, and detailed scenes. The gallery also shows off many cool objects. These include old furniture, special folk art called fraktur, silver items, baskets, and textiles. You'll also see paintings, long rifles, and ceramics, which the Valley is famous for.
Founders' Art Gallery
This gallery often changes its exhibits. It usually features art or items from the private collection of Julian Wood Glass Jr., who was a big supporter of the museum.
R. Lee Taylor Miniatures Gallery
This gallery has an amazing collection of tiny, furnished houses and rooms. These were made by R. Lee Taylor (1924–2000), who lived at Glen Burnie for many years. He created fourteen fully furnished miniature rooms and houses! You can see five of his houses and four of his rooms, which show the work of over seventy-five miniature artists. The gallery also displays four "shadowboxes" by William P. Massey, another artist who made miniature scenes in the 1930s and 1940s.
Changing Exhibitions Gallery
This is where the museum hosts different temporary art shows throughout the year. There's always something new to see here!
Selected Highlights from the Collection
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18th-century chairs
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A View on the Grand Canal with the Rialto Bridge (1754), by Francesco Guardi
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Captain John Loring (1780), by John Singleton Copley
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Hugh Chamberlain (1780s), by Johan Zoffany
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Elizabeth Taylor, Mrs. Charles Chaplin (1781), by George Romney
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Abraham and Isaac (1787), by Gainsborough Dupont
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George Alexander Otis (1809), by Gilbert Stuart
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A Picnic in England (1825), by Rolinda Sharples
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William Blake's Illustrations of the Book of Job (1826)
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A closet safe (around 1830)
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George Washington (1840s), by Rembrandt Peale
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Martha Washington and George Washington (around 1850), by Jane Stuart
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View of Winchester (1856), by Edward Beyer
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Harper's Ferry, Virginia (1859), by Ferdinand Richardt
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Oak Leaf and Reel Quilt Top (around 1870)
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Storer College, photographed between 1870-1890
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Portrait of Thomas Glass (19th-century), by Edward Caledon Bruce
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Portrait of Alexander W. Davis (1902), by Charles Franklin Moss
