Wright Museum looks back, forward after 25 years

Uniting the nation like nothing before or since, World War II continues to have an impact on American society today, a theme that underscores many programs and exhibits at the Wright Museum in Wolfeboro.

“World War II was a unique time that changed the world forever,” said Anne Blodget, board president at the museum, which celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2019.  “There were so many outcomes from the home-front effort, such as new roles for women in the workplace, technological innovation leading to computers and software, the GI Bill, and more still felt today.”

For museum Executive Director Mike Culver, World War II comprised more than a series of “monumental military battles,” but a culture shift.
“We came together and literally manufactured victory as a society—and we did it united as a people,” he said.

According to Blodget, the tales told at Wright Museum are not simple.

“The Wright thoughtfully weaves together an intimate experience of that era and its family life, the battlefield, and stories of heroics in contrast with things internment camps, for instance,” she said. “These are complex stories and ones the Wright should be telling.”

In 2019, Wright Museum will host “Righting a Wrong: Japanese Americans and World War II,” developed by the National Museum of American History and adapted for travel by the Smithsonian Institute Traveling Exhibition Service. This exhibition is made possible by The Montrone Family with additional support from Northeast Delta Dental.

“This is a serious exhibit with consequential subject matter,” said Culver. “We are honored to have been chosen by The Smithsonian to host this exhibit.”
For Carole Wright, wife of founder David Wright, the museum’s success in these past 25 years is “remarkable.”

“What we see today far exceeds his vision, which was to show what the greatest generation accomplished,” she said.

Culver added, “All of the staff is proud to be part of the Wright Museum and to do our best to fulfill David’s vision and that of our committed board.”

The region’s leading resource for educators and learners of all ages on World War II, the Wright Museum features more than 14,000 items in its collection that are representative of both the homefront and battlefield.