Letter from the Director

When we first started thinking about renovating the Museum in 2018, we were so focused on raising funds, completing the design phase, and starting construction, that it was hard to imagine the distant reopening day. Now, we have reopened and are back to full operations, including our many summer camps, programs, and events.

In April and early May, we held a series of preview events to celebrate COMU’s reopening and to welcome the community back. On Friday, April 26, reopening co-chairs Lark Champion, Ivey Evans, and Liz Lampton, along with gala committee members Sarah Romeo and Blair Woodruff, created a once-in-a-lifetime celebration of the reimagined Columbus Museum for members and friends. This unforgettable evening offered over 500 guests a first look at the renovated building and garden, previews of the new galleries and exhibitions, food, drinks, and late-night dancing. On Sunday, April 28, our Member Family Day, co-chaired by Sarah Knight and Lizzie Moore, provided families with interactive fun in the Dan and Kathelen Amos Children’s Gallery and the J.W. and Ethel I. Woodruff Children’s Garden, both now conveniently located on the main floor. Additional preview events welcomed educators, community partners, and Museum on Tour passport participants, culminating in a final Member Preview Night on May 2.

We were delighted to welcome the community to the reimagined Museum on May 4 and 5. Thousands of people visited us that weekend to see the “new” COMU after the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday morning. My sincere thanks go to Board President Chris Henson, MCSD Superintendent Dr. David Lewis, Mayor Skip Henderson, and the many public officials who joined us for that momentous occasion. Mayor Henderson gave a proclamation announcing May 4 as The Columbus Museum Day.

The remarkable reopening weekend was made possible by our dedicated volunteers, partner organizations, and COMU staff, along with the creative vision of Bob Vardaman. Their combined efforts ensured everything ran flawlessly.

This issue of The Muse includes many photos of these reopening events and images of our completely reconceived space. If you have not yet visited the Museum, I invite you to do so this summer. We have an exciting lineup of events and programs planned. If you like to travel, please join us for our fall trip to the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art - it will be a wonderful experience!

Throughout the renovation, the Board and staff dedicated themselves fully to the success of this major project, skillfully adapting to the numerous changes it brought to our operations. The staff’s remarkable commitment and expertise have been instrumental in completing the renovation. Their efforts have ensured that every aspect of the Museum is the best it can be, both during the reopening and for the future.

The work of the past six years could not have happened without the support and generosity of our remarkable community and our special partnership with the Muscogee County School District. The campaign committee, spectacularly led by Kathelen Amos and Elizabeth Ogie with honorary co-chairs Elizabeth Corn and Thornton Jordan, raised far more than we had ever imagined possible. We are grateful to them, to our campaign committee, and to the many incredible people who responded so enthusiastically and generously to our dream of reimagining The Columbus Museum. Thank you! Here’s to many more generations of bringing art and history to life for our community.