POCOMOKE CITY, MD - Salisbury University has announced the return of wildfowl carvings that have not been on public display since the closure of the Ward Museum in 2022.
According to Salisbury University (SU), a portion of their carving collection will be publicly accessible through a partnership between SU’s fledgling Museum of Eastern Shore Culture (MESC) and the Delmarva Discovery Museum in Pocomoke. The decoys, created by various carvers including Len and Steve Ward, will be loaned from the University for display in Worcester County.
It is the first time the decoys have been displayed since the Ward Museum closed in July of 2022 due to HVAC issues.
“It’s partnerships like this that make our mission at the Museum of Eastern Shore Culture possible: to cultivate the preservation and expression of the cultural heritage and traditional arts of Delmarva’s various communities,” said Raye-Valion Gillette, MESC curator and folklife specialist.
The Delmarva Discovery Museum plans to hold a reception for the new exhibit on Friday, April 19th.
SU says more of the carvings formerly on display at the Ward Museum will soon be returning to public view at the Museum of Eastern Shore Culture later this year. The University is also exploring more local partnerships to display additional carvings.
“The partnership with the Delmarva Discovery Museum is just the beginning,” said Alexandra Kean, MESC museum operations coordinator.
More information on the Museum of Eastern Shore Culture can be found at their website, and more information on the Delmarva Discovery Museum can be found here.
