New exhibit opens on 3rd floor addition at Kentucky Library & Museum

by WKU Libraries
Wednesday, November 4, 2009 2:05 PM CST

Friday, Nov. 13, will mark the grand opening for WKU’s latest exhibit at the Kentucky Library & Museum, the Snell-Franklin Decorative Arts Gallery.

More than 500 pieces of furniture, paintings and other decorative art items are represented from as early as 1300 B.C. to the mid-20th century.

“The majority of these pieces have been kept in storage for decades so we are thrilled to be able to finally display them to the public,” said Timothy Mullin, director of the Kentucky Library & Museum.

The museum’s third floor which served as storage for many decades has been renovated and is being utilized for new gallery space, Mullin said.

The Gallery is named for two men who provided significant contributions to the university: Commodore Perry Snell and C. Ray Franklin. Snell, a Bowling Green native, alum of Ogden College and highly successful entrepreneur, donated several pieces from his European collection including a child’s sarcophagus dating back to 1300 B.C. Franklin, an alum as well, donated beautiful decorative pieces dated in the mid to late 1700s including a valuable Chippendale tea table made in1765 from Philadelphia.

According to Mullin, the vast majority of the objects in the gallery are from Kentucky. “With the exception of the Snell European collection, most of the pieces are from the state of Kentucky,” said Mullin. “There are Shaker pieces from South Union and Mt. Pleasant and several wonderful pieces from our own university including a table and glassware set that former President Cherry owned.”

The Grand Opening will begin with a Chamber ribbon cutting at 10 a.m. and will conclude with an evening reception with a Roaring Twenties theme. Community members are welcome to attend; however, reservations are required for the party as numbers are limited for the early evening event.

For more information or to make a reservation, contact WKU Libraries at (270) 745-6977.

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