Sandy Spring Museum facts for kids
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| Established | January 5, 1981 |
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| Location | Sandy Spring, Maryland, U.S. |
| Type | 501(c)(3) nonprofit history museum |
The Sandy Spring Museum is a special place that helps people learn about the history of Sandy Spring, Maryland. It also brings people together through fun art and learning programs. The museum wants everyone to feel like they belong and are part of the community.
Contents
Museum History: How It Started
The Sandy Spring Museum began in 1981. A man named Delmas Wood started it. He was an insurance salesman and auctioneer. Mr. Wood noticed that the history of Sandy Spring was slowly disappearing. Older people who knew the stories were passing away.
He wanted a place to keep important items. These included old furniture, farm tools, photos, paintings, and documents. Florence Virginia Barrett Lehman also helped to create the museum.
Early Locations of the Museum
The museum first opened in a basement. It was in a Sandy Spring National Bank branch in Olney. In 1986, the museum moved to a new home. This home was a large brick house called Tall Timbers. It used to belong to Gladys Brooke Tumbleson. She was from the Brooke family, who gave their name to nearby Brookeville. Ms. Tumbleson sold the house to the museum for a very good price.
Gardens and New Buildings
In 1992, the Sandy Spring Museum Garden Club began. Mary Jane Forman Rice started this group. These volunteers help take care of the beautiful garden at the museum.
A big change happened in 1994. Helen Bentley, whose husband was baseball player Jack Bentley, gave the museum land. It was about 7.5 acres on Bentley Road in Sandy Spring. Her family had lived in Sandy Spring since the late 1700s.
Local people gave almost all the money for the new building. Architects Miche Booz and Thomas Bucci designed it. They made it look like old barns and houses from the 1700s. This helped it fit in with the area. The new museum building opened in 1997. It had much more space for all the exhibits.
Awards and Growth
In 2001, the Maryland Historical Trust gave the museum an award. It was for their excellent interactive exhibit and website. In 2007, the museum added a new section. This new part was 3,500 square feet. It included a research library and a place to store the museum's collections safely.
Museum Exhibits: What You Can See
The Sandy Spring Museum has many interesting exhibits. You can see a classroom from the 1800s. There is also a blacksmith's shop. You can explore a general store, just like people used to shop. There is even a tractor made from a Model T Ford car!
The museum has saved more than 15,000 items. These include artifacts and photographs from the Sandy Spring area. Some of these items are very old, going back to the year 1650.
Changing Art Shows
The museum also has special art shows. These shows change every three months. They often feature art about history or current events. Many of the artists are from the local area.
There is a special gallery with windows. It shows art made by teachers from Montgomery College.
New and Exciting Displays
In 2014, local people helped design two new exhibits. One exhibit was about veterans. It showed how they move from being in a combat zone to living as a civilian. Another exhibit was a new version of an older one. It showed different places where the community gathers.
