In the twelve years since Executive Director, Nancy J. Glaser, came to work for the Augusta Museum of History, the biggest change, she says, are the programs, which all ultimately support the same common mission. "In my opinion, our role is to share the wealth of this place with as many people as we can, in a variety of ways," she says. "The programs are what really make the mission happen."
One of the museum's most popular events is called "Southern Suds: Come for the Beer, Stay for the History," which features local beer, food, and a live DJ alongside lectures from local beer experts about beer and the local brewing industry. Riverwatch Brewing created a signature brew just for the event called "Per Simma Down," based on an 1870's recipe in a cookbook from the museum's collection.
Visitors also come out in droves for the "Night at the Museum" event, where the lights go down and the characters come to life, bringing a fun and engaging element to the educational experience.
Last year, the team at the museum debuted the Museum Escape program - merging the popular physical strategy activity of escape rooms with the trove of local history available at the Augusta Museum of History. The team creates a storyline and clues based on true historical events, and guests are led into a gallery relevant to the time period during which the events occurred. They are given clues and walkie-talkie before being locked in for 45 minutes. Then, using the exhibits present combined with clues, they attempt to find the answer and escape before the 45 minutes passes. The Augusta Museum of History was the first museum in the United States to offer an escape room program, and one of only a handful all over the world, a distinction that Glaser says reflects her hopes for the future.
