The Earl Scruggs Museum, located within the Earl Scruggs Center in Shelby, NC, has scheduled a Grand Re-Opening Celebration for February 18, to showcase the new interactive exhibits that have been installed while they were closed for renovations.
Already open again to the public as of February 3, the Museum’s Grand Re-Opening will begin with a ribbon-cutting at 10:00 a.m., with light refreshments available while visitors stroll through the Museum to see what’s new or been reimagined during the recent closure.
Staff and leadership are especially proud of three new offerings, the Common Threads Classroom, The Pickin’ Story, and the Strings on Screen installation. All will offer history lessons for visitors on the traditional folk music of the region, and the important contributions made by Earl Scruggs.
Board of Directors Chairperson of the Scruggs Center Roger Harris says that they are all quite proud of what they have on tap.
“It is exciting to be part of the evolution of the Earl Scruggs Center as we take the next giant step in telling the shared story of the music and culture of our community. We celebrate new ways to tell the story through interactive technology and major upgrades to our galleries.
The staff, volunteers, donors, and Board of Directors are thrilled to say: Come see what we have done.”
The Common Threads Classroom is a touch-activated digital table that connects the artists who have shaped the area’s musical heritage with local history, for individuals or small groups. Stories, videos, and photographs allow visitors to explore these lessons at the museum.
Strings on Screen features three short films on the legacy of Earl Scruggs. One, narrated by Alison Brown, focuses on the contributions of Earl’s wife, Louise Scruggs, who managed Flatt & Scruggs’ career, and later Earl’s alone. Another looks at how Earl’s banjo playing reached people all over the world and helped popularize bluegrass music to millions of listeners, narrated by Jerry Douglas. The third film looks at the relationship between Flatt & Scruggs and the Martha White Flour Company, who sponsored the band for many years, this one narrated by Ned Luberecki.
And finally, The Pickin’ Story, a series of five touch-screen panels where visitors can learn more about the instruments that make up the traditional bluegrass band. They offer information about how the instruments are played, the styles of playing used on each, and musicians that helped define their use in bluegrass. There is also a virtual jam session option, which sounds quite interesting indeed.
Mary Beth Martin, Executive Director of the Center, says…
“These new exhibits allow visitors not just to learn about bluegrass music, but to experience it — together. They reflect Earl Scruggs’ legacy as both an innovator and a tradition-bearer, and they reinforce the Center’s role as a place for learning, connection, and community.”
The Earl Scruggs Center is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Cleveland County residents are admitted for free on Saturdays.
Full details can be found online.
