This month kicks off a new, exciting, and free monthly program at the MSV!

By Adult Programs Manager Sally Meyer

Memories at the MSV is specifically designed for participants with early stage memory loss (Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, etc.) and their caregivers in order to have a relaxing and joyful experience outside of their daily routine. In the Education Department, we’ve been hard at work getting ready to welcome participants to this program.

Fall in the Shenandoah Valley means one thing: color. The leaves on the many oaks, maples, dogwoods, and other native trees begin to fade from deep green to brilliant hues of red, orange, and yellow.

By Curator of Collections Nick Powers

Have you met some of our favorite furry friends?

Potter Samuel Bell (1811-1891) of Winchester made this pair of molded whippet figurines in 1841. Whippets are an English sighthound breed descended from greyhounds. The Bell family of potters made numerous whippets as decorative pieces for Valley homes, some of which retain their original paint decoration.

People in the Shenandoah Valley celebrated the holidays in ways that have long since disappeared. Discover a once popular Valley holiday tradition that involved mystery, surprise, and a whole lot of fun: “Belsnickeling.”

By Curator of Collections Nick Powers

MSV Curator of Collections Nick Powers looks at Storer College's 150-year-old history through several objects gifted to the MSV by descendants of the College’s founders: Nathan Cook Brackett (1836-1910) and his wife Louise Wood Brackett (1842-1936).

Curator of Collections Nick Powers discusses how the provenance—or history—behind the MSV's John Shearer desk lead to unlocking the objects secrets.

The MSV retains examples by many of the Valley’s great basketmaking dynasties—the Nicholsons, Prices, and Cooks, among others—but the Museum’s strongest holdings are made up of baskets and other objects from the Day family of Shenandoah County.

Get a close look at metals made and used in the Shenandoah Valley with a preview of some new discoveries related to silver pieces from the Julian Wood Glass Jr. Collection.