Portland Museum (Louisville)
 Portland Museum in 2008 | |
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| Established | 1978 |
|---|---|
| Location | 2308 Portland Avenue Louisville, Kentucky 40212 |
| Coordinates | 38°16′09.7″N 85°47′11.3″W / 38.269361°N 85.786472°W |
| Type | History, Art |
| Website | portlandky |
The Portland Museum is a neighborhood history and art museum in Louisville, Kentucky. It details the history of the Portland neighborhood both as an independent town in the early 1800s and after Portland's amalgamation into Louisville after the construction of the Louisville and Portland Canal.[1][2]
The museum consists of three buildings: Beech Grove, a 19th-century Italianate mansion, the former Portland Bridge Baptist Mission Building, connected at Beech Grove's north side, and the AHOY House, a renovated Victorian property adjacent to the museum.[2][3] The museum is also working to restore the 1812 Squire Earick House.
History
[edit]The museum was originally founded by seven teachers from the old Roosevelt Elementary School with an initial grant the National Endowment for the Humanities.[2] The collection originally consisted of scrapbooks from various local families but has now since been expanded since then to include various artifacts, paintings and other memorabilia from local residents.[3][2] Upon the school's closing in 1980, the museum was moved to the Brown School before settling into its current facility in 1983.[2]
Exhibits
[edit]The museum contains exhibits on famous residents of Portland, including an exhibit of paintings by John James Audubon.[2] In 2014, the museum opened a permanent collection consisting of memorabilia donated by former football star Paul Hornung .[4][5] The museum also features a book printing room for students.[2]
As part of a recent revitalization effort in the Portland neighborhood, the museum acquired an adjacent Victorian home in 2020 and has since begun developing it into an immersive space and play area for children called AHOY.[6][7] Danny Seim of the indie rock group Menomena was appointed as a co-director of the museum in 2019 and is now the executive director of the AHOY project.[3][7][8][9]
See also
[edit]- List of attractions and events in the Louisville metropolitan area
- List of museums in the Louisville metropolitan area
References
[edit]- ^ "History". portlandky.org. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g Martha, Elson (11 March 2016). "Museum head keeps history anchored in Portland". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
- ^ a b c Omalza, Lennie (29 October 2020). "Victorian house from the 1800s is home to the Portland Museum - and paranormal activity". The Courier Journal. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
- ^ Michael, McKay (13 June 2014). "Paul Hornung's Portland: Golden Boy to lead tour to benefit museum". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
- ^ "Paul Hornung leads tour of Louisville's Portland neighborhood". WDRB.com. 18 June 2014. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
- ^ Rucker, Erica (20 January 2021). "AHOY! Portland Museum Explores Immersive Expansion". The Louisville Eccentric Observer. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
- ^ a b Schneider, Keith (31 March 2021). "Unease at Kentucky Project Mirrors Construction Industry's Fears". The New York Times. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
- ^ "Staff". portlandky.org. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
- ^ Menderski, Maggie (18 August 2018). "Record store plans to open soon by Portland's McQuixote Books & Coffee". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
External links
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| National | |
