Repository: UIHistories Project: Dedication - Spurlock Museum [PAGE 3]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

A VISION

Museums hold the material essence of humanity, from remnants of the mundane to reminders of opulence, eccentricity, and genius. Through museums we better understand who we are, our place In the world, and the possibilities for our future. For nearly a century, the museums on the fourth floor of the University of Illinois' Lincoln Hall were just such places of discovery for educators and students, researchers and collectors, local families and out-of-town visitors. Hundreds of objects from around the world—evidence of human endeavor and achievement— were displayed along the hallways and in the vaulted rooms that eventually came together as the*Wortd Heritage Museum. All visitors who fell under the spell of these collections owe gratitude to the dedication and expertise of the early museum directors. Given a modest stipend and a few attic rooms, they began the creation of a museum befitting a university with world-class aspirations. Guided primarily by this vision, they acquired artifacts of historic and cultural significance. Like the people they serve, museums must grow and change to remain vital. The first directors knew this, and from the beginning they called for a separate museum building dedicated to the proper care and exhibition of the collections. For decades this vision remained unfulfilled. William R. and Clarice V. Spurlock of Indianapolis, Indiana, who had traveled widely, also understood the transformative role that a museum can have for society as well as in higher education. Their generous 1990 bequest enabled the University to conceive of and build this new museum facility. Other people, too, recognized the possibilities and stepped forward to offer their support. The generosity of these individuals is responsible for the Spurlock Museum's galleries, education centers, auditorium, information desk, library, storage facilities, and offices. More than 80 percent of the collections, reaching back to 1911, also have come from donors. The dedicated efforts of staff, volunteers, faculty, and students have deepened our understanding of the artifacts the Museum holds in trust. The Spurlock Museum now invites everyone to join in the journey of exploration and discovery.

DOUGLAS J. BREWER, DIRECTOR AND PROFESSOR