James May-June 2025 web - Flipbook - Page 33
n Cartersville, located
within the northwest edge
of the Atlanta metropolitan
area, what began in 1987
with one venue devoted to
history has evolved into four renowned
museums. Since then, museums devoted to automobiles, science and western art have opened.
Georgia Museums Inc., the umbrella organization for all four Bartow
County museums, was started by a
family whose name was not released
so the museums and not the family got
recognized, says Cathy Lee Eckert, its
chief operations officer.
“Obviously, I think it’s helped
enrich the cultural and educational
opportunities in the community, and
we have lots of kids who come here for
field trips, not just from the local community but surrounding communities,”
she notes. “Additionally, it helps with
economic development opportunities.”
The four museums include the
Bartow History Museum, the Booth
Western Art Museum, the Savoy
Automobile Museum and the Tellus
Science Museum.
BARTOW HISTORY MUSEUM
bartowhistorymuseum.org
Housed in the renovated 1869
courthouse in downtown Cartersville, the museum opened in 1987 but
became part of Georgia Museums in
2003— the year the organization was
founded. The museum archives more
than 200 years of Bartow County history, from settlement to today. It provides
educational opportunities for adults,
children, families and school groups.
“I think Cartersville and Bartow
County have a lot of rich history
surrounding it, so the community has
come together over the years to donate things to the museum to illustrate
that,” said Trey Gaines, the museum’s
executive director. “There are a lot of
local history museums around, and the
backing we’ve gotten has enabled us
to give a unique experience and highlight that in meaningful ways.”
In March, the museum opened
“175 Years, 175 Objects,” an exhibition
devoted to a collection of 175 artifacts.
It closes in August, and a new exhibition will replace it in October. In addition to the temporary exhibit space,
the museum has a permanent space
on the second floor, divided into half a
dozen gallery spaces.
“Our first space is called “A Sense
of Place,” and it sets the stage for what
you’ll experience in the museum but
also the different places that make up
Bartow County,” Gaines said. “Permanent space is on the second floor, divided into six or seven gallery spaces.”
Those spaces include exhibits on
the county’s Cherokee Indian tribal history, Civil War history, business history
and a look at the last 20 to 30 years.
BOOTH WESTERN ART MUSEUM
boothmuseum.org
Opening in 2003, the Booth
Western Art Museum has the world’s
biggest permanent exhibition space
for western art. “We also are one of the
few museums collecting both historic
and contemporary art, and at least
equally or more on the contemporary
side,” said Seth Hopkins, its executive
director. “Our presidential gallery sets
us apart as well, with a one-page letter
from each president and an image of
each president.”
“Western Focus: Collecting Photography 2017–2025,” an exhibit devoted
to images collected in the past eight
years, including Ansel Adams and
Edward Curtis, runs through July 13.
Hopkins said he’s excited about
two upcoming movie-related exhibits.
“Western Costumes from the Silver
Screen: The Davey Collection,” an
exhibit of outfits worn in western films
by actors such as John Wayne and
Elizabeth Taylor, runs May 10 through
September 21. Hopkins said that
“Selling the Western: Western Movie
Posters Old and New,” a second exhibit
devoted to placards, opens July 5 and
closes in October.
“I think our general permanent collection galleries attract people having
loved the West from having traveled
to places like Yellowstone. It’s getting
a slice of the West without having to
get on an airplane,” he said. “We also
have a cool children’s hands-on learning
space called Sagebrush Ranch. There
are about 35 hands-on things for kids to
do. It’s the coolest kind of learning because they didn’t realize it at the time.”
SAVOY AUTOMOBILE MUSEUM
savoymuseum.org
Opening in 2021, the Savoy Automobile Museum is the newest of
the four venues. Macra Adair, its
executive director, said its exhibit
frequency sets it apart. The Savoy has
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