Dear Museum Members,
It’s November, and the Museum has been open for eight weeks. The staff and I have been delighted to welcome you back to see the engaging and inspirational exhibitions that we held safely in the dark these last six months. During these weeks, we’ve been reminded of the power of human dialogue with objects of wonder, delight, and disturbance; of how deeply we can be impacted by those objects and by one and other; and of what a great museum can and must be for its communities.
I’ve heard from many of you how important it is for you to be able to visit the galleries, how you appreciate the extensive pandemic protocols we’ve instituted, and how you feel at ease in the Museum’s open spaces. As time goes on, we’ll continue to meet or exceed the recommendations of both the North Carolina and Buncombe County Health & Human Services Departments and those of the Centers for Disease Control.
Last month we opened the extraordinary new-media work Question Bridge: Black Males in the multipurpose space. Spend some time exploring this work, and leave with much that’s timely to think and talk about. This month and next month, we’ll be installing exciting new exhibitions including Fantastical Forms: Ceramics as Sculpture and Vantage Points: Contemporary Photography from the Whitney Museum of Art. We’ll share new works and old favorites from the Collection. We’ll also present continuing virtual programs and new opportunities in the digital realm, and small-group in-person programs for people of all ages. Whether you participate from home or here at the Museum, we hope you’ll find these programs interactive, enlightening, and dynamic. During these times, we strive not only to continue the quality of our programs but also to make them thrive in the face of necessary reinvention.
It’s hard to believe, but mid-November marks the one-year anniversary of the opening of the new Museum. While we won’t be able to celebrate together in the same way, we hope you’ll join us for our first-ever hybrid fundraising Gala featuring live and silent auctions. In whatever way you choose to participate, please know that your support is essential.
You—our Members, audiences, and communities—have never been more important than in this moment.
All the best and stay safe,
Pamela L. Myers
Executive Director