Bedford Museum outlines Vietnam exhibit, events and adopt-an-artifact plan

Noel Woodcock, museum manager for the Bedford Museum, presented the museum’s biannual update to the Bedford County Board of Supervisors, describing recent programs, attendance outreach and an upcoming Vietnam Veterans exhibit timed with the county’s memorial work.

Woodcock told the board the museum preserves county history and educates residents; the museum continues to draw local and national visitors and maintains active social-media outreach. “Our exhibits, as well as our geological library, attract visitors from across the United States and beyond, including places like London, England, and San Diego, California,” Woodcock said during the presentation. He said the museum’s Facebook page has 4,714 followers.

Woodcock reviewed recent community events—a first annual Christmas party with craft stations and a scavenger hunt across the museum’s three floors—and outlined new and returning programs for the year: genealogy classes, history lectures, trivia nights, behind-the-scenes tours, and a proposed adopt-an-artifact program in which patrons could symbolically adopt an object that needs conservation. He also said the museum is planning a Vietnam Veterans exhibit and coordinating with the New Bedford Vietnam Veterans Memorial; staff hope to complete the memorial and host an unveiling on Vietnam Veterans Memorial Day, March 29.

Woodcock highlighted staff and volunteers who support museum operations. He introduced Matthew Dunn, the museum’s newest employee (hired Jan. 2), who is responsible for memberships, website work, research requests and cataloging geological information. He also noted part-time employee Van Cooper, who began digitizing records and the geological library in November 2023. Board members thanked the museum’s staff and volunteers for their work.

Clarifying details from the presentation - Social-media reach: Facebook followers listed as 4,714. - Planned exhibit: Vietnam Veterans exhibit aligned with New Bedford Vietnam Veterans Memorial; target unveiling on March 29 (Vietnam Veterans Memorial Day). - Programs and outreach: genealogy classes, history lectures, trivia nights, train-exhibit sponsorships, ghost walk (past event) and proposed adopt-an-artifact preservation program. - Staffing/volunteers named: Matthew Dunn (new employee, Jan. 2), Van Cooper (part-time, digitization), Leslie Mahaffey (new board chair and former executive director), Wayne Folkes (board member/IT consultant), Rusty Hicks (board member, local CPA), Doug Cooper (past executive director and past chairman). These names were presented by the museum manager as volunteers, staff or board members.

The board acknowledged the museum’s work and thanked staff and volunteers for community programming and historical preservation.