NEW Visitor Experience! IMLS Grant Received!

Sotterley Plantation Awarded Prestigious Grant
from the Institute of Museum and Library Services

Hollywood, MD- Thanks to a grant from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), Sotterley Plantation is embarking upon a new course in her over 300 years of history. This highly sought after grant, awarded to only select applicants each year, will change how visitors experience the rich history of this site.

The grant of $37,343 will be used to create a well researched, accurate, engaging interpretive script for use by site interpreters, a professionally recorded audio tour of the Plantation House and grounds, and a professionally edited 10 minute video orienting visitors to the site. Funds will also support the addition of streaming video to the soon to be updated website.

“Much of the credit for this grant award goes to Sotterley Board of Trustees member, Merideth Taylor, Professor of Theatre and Dance at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, for her tireless efforts of researching and preparing the IMLS Grant with support of the Sotterley staff,” stated Nancy Easterling, Executive Director of Historic Sotterley, Inc. “This project will greatly enhance the visitor experience for visitors to our National Historic Landmark.”

“This year’s MFA grant recipients are truly an exciting and diverse group of museums, representing the remarkable ways that large and small institutions are serving communities. Funded projects support digitization and collections management plans, enhanced accessibility, environmental literacy, and much more. The work of these institutions will educate and inspire citizens of all ages. IMLS is pleased to support museums as they engage their communities through programming tailored to their specific needs, and this round of MFA grants furthers this work,” stated Marsha L. Semmel, acting director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute's mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the national level and in coordination with state and local organizations to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support professional development. To learn more about the Institute, please visit www.imls.gov.
###