Florence Museum to close in preparation for move
The Florence Museum, in Florence, S.C., will close its current location (pictured above) July 20 and reopen in the new Florence County Museum (rendering pictured below) in early 2014, according to the Florence Morning News:
FLORENCE, S.C. — At a meeting held on Tuesday, the Trustees of the Florence Museum voted unanimously to officially close the doors of the Florence Museum at 558 Spruce St. The Florence Museum will be open during regular business hours until Saturday, July 20, closing at 5 p.m.
The Trustees of the Florence Museum purchased the Art Moderne style home in 1952, moving the collections from the basement of the Florence County Library, then located on Pine and Irby streets, and opened the doors to the public on Oct. 7, 1953.
Over the past 60 years, the Trustees of the Florence Museum have worked to promote art, science and history through educational programs, lectures, and exhibits. During that time, the Trustees of the Florence Museum have collected and preserved important artifacts that connect world cultures to Florence County and the Pee Dee.
As with any museum, the primary concern is the safety and care of the objects. Although the new facility is located a few blocks away, each object is packed and cared for in a very sensitive manner. Museum staff began re-cataloging, re-photographing and re-packing some 15,000 objects in early 2008. These artifacts range from ancient Egyptian artifacts, to Pre-historic Anasazi pottery, Japanese prints and porcelains, American Civil War uniforms, paintings, ethnographic sculptural objects, textiles, historic maps and railroad memorabilia.
“We are essentially packing and moving the history of Florence County and the Pee Dee; there is no room for error,” said Florence County Museum Director Andrew R. Stout. “This is a time-consuming process but one of the most important steps in this transitional period for the museum.”
The collections of the Florence Museum will be leased for $1 a year to Florence County and exhibited in the newly construction Florence County Museum located at 111 W. Cheves St. in downtown Florence.
The Florence County Museum will open officially to the public in early 2014.
Via: SCNow