Meg Lankford and Jenny Holmes, great-great-granddaughters of Bernie Babcock, founder of a museum that would become the Museum of Discovery, were on hand for a Jan. 19 reception and ribbon-cutting of a new timeline exhibit detailing the museum's history.
The timeline shows each era of the museum, which opened as the Museum of Natural History & Antiquities in 1927 on Main Street, including pieces from the collection illustrating each era. Kelley Bass, the museum's executive director told guests, "The more we researched the history of the museum, the more we've come to be amazed by Bernie Babcock. She almost willed this museum to happen. She willed it to start and then she willed it through some really tough times."
He said that the museum staff has realized the great responsibility and duty to carry on the work of Babcock. "We owe it to her and her legacy to do the very best job we can."
The current address as of 1998, at 500 President Clinton Ave., is the fourth location for the museum. It is the oldest museum in Arkansas.
The new exhibit received funding from the Arkansas Humanities Council, National Endowment for the Humanities and the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation.
-- Story and photos by Cary Jenkins
High Profile on 01/29/2017