Appraiser, Thomas Tomaszek, Senator Susan Sosnowski, Lisa Fiore, President and Mary Cocroft Brown, Vice President of the Museum Board. Picture by Jerrilyn Jacobs
One hundred thirty years ago, Rowland G. Hazard II had an idea— a museum for the community. He wanted to bring objects from around the world to the Village of Peace Dale. As an enthusiastic collector, creating a museum was a natural extension of his strong interest in archeology and anthropology. Rowland reached out to family members and to the community, and the collection grew.
We continue to serve as a cultural resource for the community, offering stellar Spring and Fall lecture series and providing educational programs that focus on awareness of history and appreciation of global diversity. Live broadcast of our evening programs during the pandemic has brought us new friends and supporters. Those programs are now available on our website to watch any time. The artifacts we display have been refreshed and re-labeled, and we now offer visitors self-guided tours of our gallery.
The Museum’s mission
The mission is to “preserve, maintain, and enhance the collection of objects from pre-industrial societies and to serve as an educational facility for the community”. This it still does with programs for children and adults. Over the years some other items have been added including dinosaur fossils and a model pagoda for example. It is funded primarily through donations and bequests and does not receive State or Federal funds.
Our world is both smaller and more diverse than it was 130 years ago, and understanding of other cultures has never been more important. As we reach this important milestone in our history, we kindly ask for your continued support.