Does Your Organization Have a Museum?
 

I was just reading about the Delta Zeta National Historical Museum in Oxford, Ohio and it made me wonder how many other fraternies and sororities have a museum devoted to the history of their organization?

If so, have you ever had the opportunity to visit?

The Delts have restored the house where our founding took place. For some reason the links for Bethany College are not working, neither for our Theta chapter there. When they are back up I will let you know. Here is a little history about it. In any event, there is a lot of historical relics there that I hear are really cool. And our headquarters in Indiana holds a ton of historical artifacts.

1977 The Fraternity restores the Bethany Founding House, birthplace of Delta Tau Delta. The restoration project, first a dream of Delts at Bethany, was started at the 1970 Karnea in Toronto when Theta chapter delegates proposed the project. An initial gift of $1,000 on the floor of the convention by a young Theta chapter Delt, Barry Gardner, matched immediately by a gift from former President G. Herbert McCracken, Pittsburgh '21, prompted an Arch Chapter study of possibilities. This story demonstrates how brotherhood sustains us: a group of Delts had a common goal; they presented their idea to other brothers who responded with enthusiasm. Brotherhood creates a community of individuals with common concerns, and goals are contagious.

1980 The 75th Karnea, meeting in Pittsburgh, makes the pilgrimage to Bethany for the formal dedication of the Founders' House. Both the refurbished Founders' House and the pilgrimage were the product of hundreds of lives committed to excellence. Both efforts were in tribute, also, to those lives of excellence. These events serve as shining examples of Delta Tau Delta's strong foundation in truth, courage, faith, and power, its pride in the past, and its confidence in the future.


Currently, UG members selected to attend our leadership academy do so at Bethany College and get to explore the house and recently, our Arch Chapter, the governing body, held their first meeting there.

I have not been able to attend but will be when we celebrate our 150th anniversary in 2008. Our convention is at our founding's backyard in Pittsburg.

AOII has a museum and an archives inside our international headquarters. The dresses and badges are really beautiful.
Silver

You can also see our museum archives on our virtual HQ tour, http://www.alphaomicronpi.org/virtual/index.html

we also have a museum within our internationl headquarters, and a lot of the archives are brought to every convention and a room is set up where they are displayed.

I have always loved the AOII site. Very easy to navigate and beautifully designed!!!

Kappa Kappa Gamma has our Heritage Museum located at our Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio as well as the Stewart House Museum in Monmouth, Ill.

From the Kappa website: These museums depict the life and times of our Founders and women of the Victorian period, feature exhibits from the archives of the Fraternity, and develop programs such as "Museum in a Box" and the new multi media project, "The Voyage of Discovery."

I've been to the Heritage Museum and it's absolutely gorgeous. I've been outside the Stewart House, but have yet to get there on a day when it's open.

We have a museum in our Memorial Headquarters - newly renovated and expanded as of last weekend! When I was in school and visited EO, there was a room of interesting ADPi items, but it's been greatly expanded.

The two rooms were the Adelphean and Philomathean Societies first started have been recreated in the Cannonball House.

The Adelphean Room:
http://www.cannonballhouse.org/ADPi%20parlor.png

The Philomathean Room:
http://www.cannonballhouse.org/Phi%20Mu%20parlor.png

I'm not really sure what Alpha Phi has, maybe some sisters can help me out with this. :cool:

My brother lived next door to the Delt house at Bethany (he's a Phi Tau). Bethany is so beautiful...got accepted there, but I need a bit more of a city!

Oh, and here's the Bethany Delt chapter website http://www.bethanywv.edu/deltataudelta/

Incidentally, in Old Main at Bethany, Beta Theta Pi has some sort of plaque up about a historical chapter (perhaps longest running???) ? But according to the website, they aren't there any more?

Totally agreed. They also have items from previous conventions, some books that one of our founders wrote, old To Dragmas, and some other wonderful AOII artifacts...I think it is very pretty and very interesting...

Bethany does look pretty, but you are right about the city element. Without the college I think the population is less than 1000. I'm glad the college continues to strive.

About Beta...it could have been that.

Alpha Chi has some nice memorial rooms at HQ. I have pics on my old computer, I'll have to find them somewhere...

Our national headquarters (the Mabel Lee Walton house in Woodstock, VA) has all sorts of historical Sigma items, including our famed doll collection. :)

LXA In Indy has some Memoribla of many things, I was dissapointed in what was shown. But still Loved what I saw.

But, if any Members Have been to HQs, they are not that big. Ergo Space being a priority for functioning as HQs. Staff and daily functioning.

I would say, there are @ 4-5 LXAs on GC who have a tremendous amount ot LXA Items. Actually much more so than any HQs of any said GLO.

are you one of those members? ;)

There is a large memorabilia room at the Alpha Phi Executive office with all the original documents, pins, stained glass window, etc. It's very interesting.

Thanks to my NebraskaDelt brother for his post(s) about the Founder's House at Bethany.

In addition, our previous central office had a room loaded with Delt memorabilia, including a painting of the "old" Delt Shelter at Ohio University in which I pledged and a number of old Delt badges, including some from my chapter (Beta). The chapter has been in continuous operation since 1862.

I don't know for sure, but would be very surprized if there wasn't a similar room in our new headquarters.

Is the Aphi HQ a large building? Ive never seen pictures. I know Phi Mu just built a new one, and its amazing. Is Alpha Phi's anything like that?

I would LOVE to see that doll collection! Is there a photo online?

I wonder how far that is from me, I live in Virginia Beach.

I had the opportunity to visit DZ's museum while in Oxford for our convention in 2002. It was a very memorable trip, and I've got some good pictures from inside the museum. :)

I can't compare it to Phi Mu as I haven't seen theirs. Alpha Phi has a "large" office. It is right next to Northwestern University so it has that feeling of being nestled in the midst of an academic environment. It is two stories plus a basement. There is a small sleeping dorm in the basement and another guest room with guest shower and bath faciltiies, etc. The main floor has conference rooms, the memorabilia room, a formal living and dining room a kitchen and some office space. The upstairs is office space for the fraternity and the foundation. It has had a facelift in recent years. I think it is a lovely office and feels very friendly when you visit. Most visitors really love the big dipper lights that are in the ceiling of the foyer.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by honeychile
[B]
The Adelphean Room:
http://www.cannonballhouse.org/ADPi%20parlor.png

I had my picture taken on that blue couch in the corner, under Eugenia.

phi mu's new headquarters which was just officially opened this past weekend has a museum. i wasn't there, but i have seen pictures and it looks beautiful! there is a collection of dresses from former national presidents, old aglaias, photos, documents, etc. they also have a current composite for each of the collegiate chapters!

Oh, ADqtPiMel, I am SO jealous!! As I've said before, the day we were there, the rooms were closed. :(

pinkyphimu, our Executive Headquarters had its renovation and opening the same weekend as yours! I understand that the Phi Mus were asked to ours, and the Alpha Delta Pis to yours - the Macon Magnolias live!! The current composites must be awesome!!

I believe Phi Sig is in the process of getting ours together since we just moved our HQ from Florida to Maryland.