The Fly Arts Center is currently looking for new exhibits and artifacts to use in a complete update of the Bedford County Museum.
The Fly Arts Center, located at 204 S. Main St. in Shelbyville, TN, is the home of the Bedford County Museum. With renovations and repairs currently in progress throughout the building, Bedford County Arts Council leadership has decided to begin a much needed update to the museum in order to better showcase our local history and cultural heritage of Bedford County, TN.
Museum Co-chairs Gene Williams and Marc Majors will be working with the Bedford County Historical Society, our local government, area groups and businesses to help us identify and properly catalog our current collection, while also planning an updated display method throughout the museum. The leadership team will also be working on making the museum more accessible by creating self-guided audio tours complete with QR code scan points for displays.
We're currently seeking new exhibits and artifacts that are considered to be culturally or historically significant to Bedford County to put on display as a part of this refresh. Items could either be placed on loan with our museum for a limited time or could be donated for permanent display. One area of interest for our organization would be any items from the original Fly Manufacturing Company. Other areas of particular interest would be artifacts related to the Tennessee Whiskey Trail, the Tennessee Walking Horse industry and the Bedford County Arts Council's past events.
"We'd love to put together new displays centered on topics, like the Whiskey Trail," stated Jennifer Meloy, Director of Marketing and Public Relations at The Fly. "Bedford County has such a rich tapestry of history and heritage. We want to showcase our local area in new and exciting ways that will help energize interest in everything Bedford County has to offer."
Individuals, organizations and businesses who are interested in contributing artifacts to our museum should contact President Jody Barnes-Turner at presidentflyarts@gmail.com or 615-476-3274.