Ward Museum announces all programs will be put on hold starting next Monday
SALISBURY, Md. – The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art has announced that all programs will be put on hold starting next Monday, April 3, 2023.
The latest announcement comes after Salisbury University, who owns the rights to the collection, announced last week that they would be moving the museum from Schumaker Pond to the Powell Building in Downtown Salisbury.
The Ward Foundation announced last month the planned relocation of the museum to a new home in Downtown Salisbury as a result of ongoing mechanical issues following an HVAC failure in July.
The Ward Museum’s galleries have been closed to the public since then, and the prolonged failure of the system created unsafe environmental conditions, which led to the development and spread of surface mold on carvings and other pieces of artwork.
Wing Watch and Drop In Art Jr., an educational story-time and craft program held at the museum, will have their last meeting this Wednesday, March 29th. Officials emphasized however that all prescheduled field trips will continue as planned.
“The Ward Foundation intends to evaluate existing programs and their continuity after the Ward World Championship is concluded,” officials stated in a social media post. “We’d like to thank everyone who has been a regular attendee of our programs and apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.”
The Ward Foundation became an affiliated foundation of Salisbury University in 2000, with the University taking ownership of the building, the collection, and the Ward Foundation’s debt of approximately $1.6 million.
In a press released issued last week, Salisbury University officials announced that as of July 1, SU will no longer maintain an operating agreement with the Ward Foundation.
There’s been no official word on what the plan is for the Schumaker Pond location.
Moving forward, those opposed to the plans, who have been vocal for the past month, are considering protesting the move. This continues to be a developing story that 47 ABC is following very closely. We will of course keep you updated as further developments emerge.
