The West Virginia Division of Culture and History will unveil a new exhibition, West Virginians Answering the Call, with an opening reception from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 13, at the Culture Center, State Capitol Complex in Charleston. The exhibit features military artifacts from the West Virginia State Museum’s collection and from the West Virginia National Guard, dating from the American Revolution to Afghanistan. The opening reception is free and open to the public.
“West Virginia has a proud history of service to our nation,” said Commissioner Randall Reid-Smith of the Division of Culture and History. “This exhibition is our opportunity to showcase some of the outstanding military pieces in our collection as we salute the men and women who stand for freedom for all of us.”
The opening reception will include a program featuring Major General James Hoyer, adjutant general of the West Virginia National Guard, Joseph Thornton, secretary of the West Virginia Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety and music by Greenbrier County’s Taylor Made. Members of the National Guard Band also will perform during the evening.
The exhibition is on display in the Lobby Gallery, outside the state theater. It features military uniforms, medals and insignia, military arms, a scale model of the USS West Virginia, and more. West Virginians Answering the Call will remain on display through July 11.
For more information, call Charles Morris, director of museums for the division, at 304-558-0220.
The WV Division of Culture and History is an agency within the WV Department of Education and the Arts with Kay Goodwin, cabinet secretary. The division, led by Commissioner Randall Reid-Smith, brings together the past, present and future through programs and services focusing on archives and history, arts, historic preservation and museums. For more information about the division’s programs, events and sites, visit www.wvculture.org. The Division of Culture and History is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
