Collecting Wilmington: Place, Perspective, & Memory

Collecting Wilmington: Place, Perspective, and Memory

Delaware History Museum
Dewees/Thronson Foundations Gallery, 2^nd Floor

We are all collectors, but few consider their collections beyond personal pleasure or interest, or how to use them to promote an understanding of a certain time and place. The Paul Preston Davis Collection of Delawareana is a notable exception. Organized and preserved over four decades with the needs of future researchers in mind, it represents the dedication of a meticulous collector with a uniquely focused collecting philosophy.

This collection—which includes business ephemera, rare print materials, sheet music, commemorative objects, and photography—informs our understanding of Mr. Davis’ native Wilmington from the mid 19^th through the early 20th centuries. Each section invites us to examine objects from multiple perspectives and to consider how our own collections can build community memory and a meaningful sense of place.

Collecting Wilmington: Place, Perspective & Memory is an exhibition in five culminating phases. The final phase opened in September 2021 and the full exhibition is now on display.