Ward Museum employees access restricted
SALISBURY, Md. – Salisbury University has changed the locks to the Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, restricting access to the museum’s employees moving forward.
47 ABC News received multiple reports on Wednesday that Salisbury University Police had showed up to the Ward Museum at Schumaker Pond asking employees to gather their belongings and leave the premises. We reached out to Salisbury University who confirmed that they had indeed changed the locks to the building, but emphasized that no employees were asked to leave.
“SU is taking proactive steps to ensure the continued safety of the collection and associated records,” explained Jason Rhodes, SU Public Relations Director and University Spokesperson. “As part of that process, the locks were changed. Ward Foundation employees were not asked to leave, but as of today, they do not have open access to the building.”
The latest development comes after Salisbury University, who owns the rights to the collection, announced last week that they would be moving the museum from Schumaker Pond to the Powell Building in Downtown Salisbury.
The Ward Foundation announced last month the planned relocation of the museum to a new home in Downtown Salisbury as a result of ongoing mechanical issues following an HVAC failure in July.
The Ward Museum’s galleries have been closed to the public since then, and the prolonged failure of the system created unsafe environmental conditions, which led to the development and spread of surface mold on carvings and other pieces of artwork.
Salisbury University tells us that the latest move comes in an attempt to inventory the collection and distinguish what belongs to them versus what belongs to the Ward Foundation.
“Given the value and fragility of the collection Salisbury University is working to carefully inventory the items and determine what property currently housed at the Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art is SU/State of Maryland property vs. Ward Foundation property,” Rhodes said. “The University looks forward to working with the Ward Foundation on this determination.”
Ward Museum Interim Director Brittany Andrew tells us that employees were allowed back in the building on Thursday, only to collect their personal items, not to work.
“SU came and changed the locks and we were asked to remove only personal belongings,” Andrew told our Rob Petree. “I can also confirm that we were only allowed in the building today to collect personal items, and not allowed in to work.”
The Ward Foundation became an affiliated foundation of Salisbury University in 2000, with the University taking ownership of the building, the collection, and the Ward Foundation’s debt of approximately $1.6 million. Effective July 1, SU will no longer maintain an operating agreement with the Ward Foundation.
Following that announcement that SU would be ending their agreement with the Ward Foundation, museum officials announced that all programs will be put on hold starting next Monday, April 3, 2023.
Wing Watch and Drop In Art Jr., an educational story-time and craft program held at the museum, will have their last meeting this Wednesday, March 29th. Officials emphasized however that all prescheduled field trips will continue as planned for the time being.
The University is not intending to divest any core pieces of the collection. Those who currently have items on loan at the museum have been contacted to assure them that their artworks and artifacts are being properly cared for and provide the opportunity for those items to be returned if desired.
There’s been no official word on what the plan is for the Schumaker Pond location. When asked about this, Rhodes said in an earlier interview that they don’t currently have any plans in mind for the building at this time.
“We don’t have plans for the building,” Rhodes said at the time. “We can’t sell the building without the permission of the Maryland Board of Public Works because it is a state building and that’s not something we’re pursuing at this time.”
Moving forward, those opposed to the plans, who have been vocal for the past month, are considering protesting the move. This continues to be a developing story that 47 ABC is following very closely. We will of course keep you updated as further developments emerge.
