Hello, and Welcome to the final episode, Episode 15, of our series featuring highlights of this year’s exhibit celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts and Humanities, now known as Cape May MAC (Museums+Arts+Culture).
My name is Janet Coupland, and I am the Curator of the Exhibit.
Since the unfortunate situation with the virus precludes visitors from visiting our beautiful Carroll Gallery at the Physick Estate, 1048 Washington St., Cape May, N.J., and seeing the exhibit in person, we thought you might enjoy seeing some parts of the exhibit online.
Our 50-year journey began in 1970 with a dilapidated historic gem and a demolition permit. The Emlen Physick Estate was about to be torn down to make way for a housing development. To avert this disaster, a small group of dedicated neighbors organized what they first called the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts (MAC) to fight City Hall and save the Estate from the wrecker’s ball. Through its focus on historic preservation and its sponsorship of cultural, historic and artistic endeavors, MAC saved the Emlen Physick Estate and became a cornerstone of Cape May’s economic revival.
Now, 50 years later, Cape May MAC is Cape May’s leader in heritage tourism, educational outreach, historic preservation and cultural enrichment, and can count among its finest accomplishments the restoration of three key historic sites - the Emlen Physick Estate, the Cape May Lighthouse and the World War II Lookout Tower.
Today, Cape May MAC enjoys an excellent relationship with Cape May’s government as well as with a wide array of supporters including local businesses, community groups, the Coast Guard and local residents. With strong board leadership, 3,500 members, a paid staff of 150, a cadre of 300 volunteers and nearly 300,000 visitors each year, MAC is in a strong position to move into its next half century.
Our Anniversary Exhibit provides a timeline of our evolution and a look at the myriad ways the organization has evolved over the past 50 years. In this series, you will see and hear more about the exhibit from our Board President, Tom Carroll. We hope you enjoy the Exhibit and find it an inspiration and testament to what dedication, perseverance, hard work and a love of history can accomplish. We have dedicated the exhibit to everyone who has helped, in any way, to promote and sustain Cape May MAC’s history and its future.
We hope we will be able to visit us at the Carroll Gallery on the Physick Estate when you can, once again, travel to Cape May.
Thank you!
Janet Coupland
Cape May MAC wishes to acknowledge the work of Exhibit Curator Janet Coupland, along with Exhibit Designer Jean Barraclough, and all those who contributed to the success of this installation.