Contact: Adrienne Byrd
Phone: 336-373-3681 

Grand Opening of 'Voices of a City' Exhibit Set for July 27

GREENSBORO, NC -- (July 22, 2010) -- The grand opening of Greensboro Historical Museum's state-of-the-art, 8,000-square-foot exhibit called Voices of a City: Greensboro, North Carolina is slated for 12 noon Tuesday, July 27. The exhibit weaves first-person observations and remembrances with technology to tell the story of Greensboro's history dating back to the early 1700s. 

The exhibit opening is free and open to the public. The museum, located at 130 Summit Ave., is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 am to 5 pm and Sundays from 2-5 pm. 

“The concept behind this exhibition is to connect Greensboro’s history to the overall story of America’s development and evolution as a nation,” said Fred Goss, director of the Greensboro Historical Museum. “What makes the exhibit particularly intriguing is that the city’s history is conveyed using the words, artifacts and pictures left by the people who made, documented and experienced this history over the past three centuries.”   

The exhibit consists of eight thematic galleries, beginning with an orientation gallery. The others are: 

• Bewitching Country (before 1808)
• Early Greensborough (1808-1890)
• Debating Liberty (1800-1890)
• Denim Capital (1891-1945)
• Service and Sacrifice (Greensboro’s involvement in America’s wars)
• Changing Times (1946-1979)
• Today’s Gate City (1980-present). 

Each gallery blends historical artifacts, photos, portraits, letters and other documents with the latest technology to enhance each museum visitor’s experience. Multi-sensory media used in the exhibit include video stations, hand-held audio wands, interactive touch screens providing written and visual information, audio of oral history recordings, and ambient sound.  

“This exhibit uses personal stories to illustrate how our city has been shaped by people of diverse backgrounds and perspectives,” said Susan Webster, the Historical Museum curator who serves as project manager for Voices. “Over 500 items from the museum’s collection and archives, along with hundreds of images, will enable visitors to connect these stories.”

Voices of a City: Greensboro, North Carolina was funded with a $5.3 million City of Greensboro municipal bond approved by Greensboro voters in the 2006 bond referendum. In addition to the design and construction of the Voices exhibit, these funds covered structural renovations on the museum building, including a restored slate roof, rain gutters, fascia and trim, and the restoration of more than 160 windows. To augment the funds from the bond issue, a capital campaign conducted by the nonprofit Greensboro Historical Museum Inc. raised more than $2.1 million to provide the revenue needed for audio and video stations, visitor interactives, public programs, and artifact acquisition and conservation.

The Greensboro Historical Museum is a division of the City's Public Library Department. Visit www.greensborohistory.org for more information.

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The City works with the community to improve the quality of life for residents through inclusion, diversity, and trust. As the seventh largest employer in Greensboro, the City has a professional staff of 2,800 employees who maintain the values of honesty, integrity, stewardship, and respect. The City is governed by a council-manager form of government with a mayor and eight council members. For more information on the City, visit www.greensboro-nc.gov or call 373-CITY (2489).