Storeroom Stories: A Lacy Thank You

PAST EXHIBIT

– Jan Hiester, Historic Textiles Curator

The Charleston Museum was founded in 1773, but it was not until 1906 that the American Association of Museums was organized to develop standards and practices for museums. Since that first year, an annual meeting has been held to gather and share knowledge among museum professionals across the country. In 1923, that meeting was hosted by The Charleston Museum, with Laura Bragg as museum director. Her predecessor, Paul Rea, had been Director of the AAM from 1919-1921.

Museum directors, curators, associates and their spouses met in Charleston for a number of instructive sessions and tours of the museum, historic sites and the Lowcountry’s natural wonders. After they returned home, many of the participants decided to send Miss Bragg a thank-you gift of bits of lace for the museum’s collection. The effort was organized by Jean Dwight Franklin of the Brooklyn Institute of Arts & Sciences Children’s Museum.

To our Charleston hostess, in grateful remembrance of a wonderful visit.

-Alice Kendall, Newark Museum

In these exhibit cases is a sampling of those handmade lace treasures. The pieces of lace are interesting as lovely examples of an enduring hand craft. And, the ladies that sent them are all part of the history of American museums. Letters from the participants of this effort indicate that even if lace was not their forte (given their interests in natural history, arts and education), they cheerfully searched their personal belongings for these varied contributions.