"Sealed in Glass, Stone, and Tin"
New Exhibit at the Museum of Small Town Life in Dover
Open January 15, 2008-December 31, 2008
Dover, DE - December 31, 2007 - A variety of 19th-20th century Delaware-made and -used containers including medicine bottles, stoneware jars and jugs, and products from Delaware's canning industry will be showcased in the exhibit, "Sealed in Glass, Stone, and Tin" that will be on display from January 15-December 31, 2008 at the Museum of Small Town Life, located at Museum Square, 316 S. Governors Ave., in Dover, Delaware.
The nucleus of the exhibit is based on the collection of Dr. E. D. Bryan, a Dover physician who began collecting antique Delaware bottles in the 1960s after finding an old pharmacy bottle embossed with the words "Murray and Martin, Lewes, Del." By coincidence, this bottle was from the store later owned by Arthur H. Morris, from whom Dr. Bryan's father, Everett Bryan, learned pharmacy in the 1930s. The "story behind the bottle" sparked what became a consuming interest by Bryan in discovering the history of each item that he acquired. Bryan donated his collections of antique bottles, stoneware containers, cans, and medical and pharmaceutical furnishings to the State of Delaware in several stages during the 1980s.
"Sealed in Glass, Stone, and Tin" is organized in three sections:
The Museum of Small Town Life, located in Museum Square at 316 S. Governors Ave. in Dover, Delaware, is open from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday and most state holidays; and 1:30-4:30 p.m. Sundays. Admission is free. Donations are accepted and appreciated. For group tours and additional information, call the Delaware Visitor Center at (302) 739-4266.
Museum Square is administered by the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs (HCA), an agency of the State of Delaware working in partnership with the First State Heritage Park at Dover. HCA enhances Delaware's quality of life by preserving the state's unique historical heritage, fostering community stability and economic vitality, and providing educational programs and assistance to the general public on Delaware history and heritage. In addition to its eight museums, HCA operates two conference centers, manages over thirty historic properties, and serves as the state's historic preservation office. Funding for HCA's programs and services is provided by annual appropriations from the Delaware General Assembly, revenue from HCA's History Stores, and grants from the National Park Service, a federal agency.
