FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Connecticut League of Museums (CLM) is proud to announce its Awards of Merit for 2024. The awards recognize excellence in museum work by individuals and organizations in Connecticut. This year’s awardees include an all-volunteer historical society, a community college art museum, a public library, and history and art museums large and small.
“The projects honored in 2024 tell familiar stories in new ways, examine common artifacts through the lens contemporary issues, and shine a light on stories and communities that are less well-known,” said Nick Foster, CLM Board President and chair of the awards committee. “They showcase the power of museum scholarship and research, the innovative use of play to enlighten and inspire, and the crucial educational and civic role of museums and libraries in our democracy. Together, the projects represent some of the best exhibitions, community partnerships, and educational initiatives to be seen in our state’s museums today.”
The 2024 project award recipients are:
· Chester Historical Society, for “The Pattaconk and Its Mills”
- Connecticut Museum of Culture and History, for “Inspire Center”
- Connecticut Museum of Culture and History, for “Journeys: Boys of the Chinese Educational Mission”
- Connecticut River Museum, for “Getting There: Wayfinding on the Water in the Pre-Modern Age”
- Fairfield Museum and History Center, for “Creating Community: 400 Years of Fairfield Stories”
- Housatonic Museum of Art, for “The Practice of Democracy: A View from Connecticut”
- Litchfield Historical Society, for “To Come to a Land of Milk and Honey: Litchfield and the Connecticut Western Reserve”
- Mattatuck Museum, for “Stitching the Revolution: Quilts as Agents of Change”
- Museum of Connecticut History at the Connecticut State Library, Office of the State Archaeologist, Friends of the Office of the State Archaeologist, Bolton Historical Society, and Bolton Heritage Farm Commission, for “Digging Into History: On the Road With Rochambeau”
- Mystic Seaport Museum, for Mainsheet, A Journal of Multidisciplinary Maritime Studies (Issue 1)
- Wilton Library Association, for “The Brubeck Collection Digital Archive”
- Windsor Historical Society, for “Inspiring Equal Participation: Windsor Afro American Civic Association”
“For a decade, the League’s Awards of Merit have honored the best interpretive and historical work at Connecticut’s museums, historical societies, and libraries,” said Amrys Williams, Executive Director of CLM. “Our awards have often paved the way to recognition at the regional and national levels. We are thrilled to celebrate the organizations and individuals responsible for these excellent projects.”
The awards will be presented at a ceremony on Tuesday, October 22 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the New England Air Museum in Windsor Locks.
“We are honored to host the Connecticut League of Museums’ Awards of Merit Ceremony,” said Stephanie Abrams, President and CEO of the New England Air Museum. “Institutions like ours play a vital role in preserving history and inspiring future generations, and we are proud to celebrate the extraordinary achievements of Connecticut’s cultural organizations. This event reflects our commitment to fostering collaboration and innovation within the broader museum community.”
The Awards of Merit Ceremony and Reception is a ticketed event that is open to the public. Registration and more information are available at https://clho.org/event-5888967.
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About the Connecticut League of Museums
The Connecticut League of Museums (www.ctleague.org) unifies and strengthens our state’s museums and cultural resources to expand their capacity and community impact. Since 1950, the League has supported its member museums, historical societies, libraries, and other cultural heritage institutions across the state through professional development, networking and community, workshops and training, and an annual conference and awards program. The League also runs Connecticut Collections (www.ctcollections.org), an open-source collections management system and online portal that makes Connecticut’s museum and archival collections accessible to researchers worldwide.
About the New England Air Museum
The New England Air Museum(www.neam.org) is the largest aviation museum in New England with three large hangars, outdoor exhibits, and more than 100 aircraft ranging from early airships and flying machines to supersonic jets and helicopters. Located adjacent to Bradley International Airport, the New England Air Museum is committed to presenting the story of aviation, the human genius that made it possible, and the profound effects that it has had on the way in which we live.
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