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“The Golden Age of Ornithology and Printmaking,” a new exhibit at the Galveston County Historical Museum, will open with a reception for Galveston Historical Foundation members at 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 15. The exhibit features work done in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, a time when a flowering of the scientific study of birds joined the newly perfected craft of printmaking.
“Birds and birding are as much a part of Galveston’s heritage as beaches and historic buildings,” said Ray Lewis, President of Galveston Historical Foundation, which operates the County Historical Museum in conjunction with the County Commissioners Court, “and as much a part of our attraction as a destination. GHF has been pleased to collaborate with the Nature Tourism Council in recent years in celebrating this part of our heritage.”
On display will be depictions of birds by Mark Catesby, Alexander Wilson and John James Audubon, reproduced by the famous printers Robert Havell and W. H. Lizars, as well as original engravings from the 1700s, limited prints of the original Havell-engraved Audubon works, and limited reproductions of Audubon’s original full-size paintings. Also on exhibit will be a collection of eggs and nests on loan from the Mayborn Museum Complex at Baylor University - specimens collected by ornithologists over 100 years ago.
The exhibit is a part of the sixth annual FeatherFest celebration, an event running from Thursday, April 3 through Sunday, April 6 that includes field trips, seminars and social events highlighting the birds and the natural heritage of the Upper Texas Coastal Area in springtime. FeatherFest is hosted by the Galveston Island Nature Tourism Council, a non-profit organization of local naturalists and enthusiasts dedicated to promoting this important aspect of Galveston’s tourism industry.
Prints displayed in “The Golden Age of Ornithology and Printmaking” are on loan from the Antiquarium in Houston and Joel Oppenheimer of Chicago. The exhibition will remain through May 30, 2008.
The Galveston County Historical Museum is a joint project of Galveston Historical Foundation and the Galveston County Commissioner’s court. It is located at 2219 Market Street in downtown Galveston. For information about the exhibition or the museum, call Jodi Wright-Gidley, museum director, at 409-766-2340.
For information about FeatherFest activities and the Galveston Island Nature Tourism Council, see www.galvestonfeatherfest.com, or call Morton Voller, chairman, at 409-392-0841.
Schedule of Events...
| March 15 - May 30 |
The Golden Age of Ornithology and Printmaking |
| Time |
Open daily. |
| Location |
2219 Market Street |
| Cost |
Free. Donations accepted. |
About Galveston County Historical Museum...
Explore Galveston County’s rich heritage under the impressive vaulted ceiling of the 1921 City National Bank Building, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The museum includes permanent exhibits on Galveston lighthouses, Native Americans on the Island, the 1900 storm (including vintage film of the actual storm, taken by Thomas Edison’s assistant), building the Seawall, and the 1947 Texas City explosion.
Originally the City National Bank, built by W.L. Moody in 1919, and donated to the county by Moody’s daughter, Mary Moody Northen, in 1976.
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