Post by Administrator on Oct 21, 2005 14:31:04 GMT -5
Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. joined Maryland Stadium Authority Chairman Carl A.J. Wright, MSA Director Alison Asti, Babe Ruth Museum Chairman of the Board Michael Hodes, Assistant Secretary, Tourism, Film and the Arts Dennis Castleman, Diamond International Galleries President John K. Snyder, Jr. and Diamond Comic Distributors President and Chief Executive Officer Stephen A. Geppi on Tuesday, October 18, 2005, at a press conference outside Baltimore's historic Camden Station for the ceremonial groundbreaking for Geppi's Entertainment Museum at Camden Yards (GEM).
The 16,000 square foot museum, already under construction on the second and third floors of Camden Station next to Oriole Park at Camden Yards, is set to open July 4, 2006.
"This facility represents a dream I've had for more than 30 years," Geppi said.
After an introduction by Wright, Hodes spoke about the success enjoyed to date by the Babe Ruth Museum's new facility, Sports Legends at Camden Yards, which opened to the public in May 2005.
In his speech, Geppi said GEM will allow visitors an opportunity to explore the history of popular culture and its impact on society as a whole through collectables, toys, music and other exhibits. The displays will follow a chronological sequence of major historical events and periods of social change and the resulting development of pop culture.
He said the displays will reflect a changing society and the momentous impact that comic characters have had and continue to have on the children who connect with them.
Following that, Governor Ehrlich spoke of Geppi's vision and desire to promote Baltimore, and his ability to get things done. He said that marketing Maryland to other states and countries for tourism was his favorite part of his job and the existence of Geppi's Entertainment Museum, along with Sports Legends at Camden Yards, would make those duties even easier.
The two museums will offer locals and tourists two destinations in one, covering the history of Maryland sports from Babe Ruth to Brooks Robinson and from Johnny Unitas to Cal Ripken, Jr., and popular culture from the birth of the United States to the present.
Each period in the chronological progression of U.S. history will be highlighted in the museum with an exhibit which represents historically significant characters and the era in which they came to fame. The earliest exhibit begins with the Brownies, the first illustrated characters successfully used in advertising and marketing.
The second period is anchored by The Yellow Kid, the first highly successful regional comic character used in a newspaper and also Buster Brown, the first to be incorporated in newspapers on a national level. The exhibits run through such current box office hits as Spider-Man and Batman. Supplementing the permanent displays, changing exhibits will offer an in-depth look at various aspects of history seen through the lens of popular culture.
GEM's Executive Director Wendy Kelman, Curator Dr. Arnold T. Blumberg, Associate Director of Sales Julie Stewart, and Auction/Retail Development Director Jeff Robison, Senior Sales Consultant Kathie Boozer, and Museum Project Consultant Mark Ward attended the ceremony along with Geppi.
In addition to Wright and Asti, the Maryland Stadium Authority was represented by and Carol Salmon (Assistant Director) Andrea Harrison (Public Information Officer) and Karen Glenn (Public Information Officer) also attended on behalf of the state's Department of Business and Economic Development (DBED).
Christine Meyer (Deputy Director), Meredith Schwartz (Group Sales Manager), Gregg Wilhelm (Director of Communications) and Lisa Salvatore (Communications Assistant) attended with Hodes for Sports Legends at Camden Yards.
Paul Tiburzi (Managing Partner) represented the project's law firm DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary, and George Holback and Don Farmer attended on behalf of architects Cho Benn Holback + Associates.
Geppi's Entertainment Museum will also be working to establish itself as an educational center, and is working with a number of Baltimore museums and other organizations along those lines.
Additionally, the museum's store will offer visitors a unique opportunity to purchase pop culture items from the past and present, and it will also feature many publications in conjunction with the museum's educational efforts.
The 16,000 square foot museum, already under construction on the second and third floors of Camden Station next to Oriole Park at Camden Yards, is set to open July 4, 2006.
"This facility represents a dream I've had for more than 30 years," Geppi said.
After an introduction by Wright, Hodes spoke about the success enjoyed to date by the Babe Ruth Museum's new facility, Sports Legends at Camden Yards, which opened to the public in May 2005.
In his speech, Geppi said GEM will allow visitors an opportunity to explore the history of popular culture and its impact on society as a whole through collectables, toys, music and other exhibits. The displays will follow a chronological sequence of major historical events and periods of social change and the resulting development of pop culture.
He said the displays will reflect a changing society and the momentous impact that comic characters have had and continue to have on the children who connect with them.
Following that, Governor Ehrlich spoke of Geppi's vision and desire to promote Baltimore, and his ability to get things done. He said that marketing Maryland to other states and countries for tourism was his favorite part of his job and the existence of Geppi's Entertainment Museum, along with Sports Legends at Camden Yards, would make those duties even easier.
The two museums will offer locals and tourists two destinations in one, covering the history of Maryland sports from Babe Ruth to Brooks Robinson and from Johnny Unitas to Cal Ripken, Jr., and popular culture from the birth of the United States to the present.
Each period in the chronological progression of U.S. history will be highlighted in the museum with an exhibit which represents historically significant characters and the era in which they came to fame. The earliest exhibit begins with the Brownies, the first illustrated characters successfully used in advertising and marketing.
The second period is anchored by The Yellow Kid, the first highly successful regional comic character used in a newspaper and also Buster Brown, the first to be incorporated in newspapers on a national level. The exhibits run through such current box office hits as Spider-Man and Batman. Supplementing the permanent displays, changing exhibits will offer an in-depth look at various aspects of history seen through the lens of popular culture.
GEM's Executive Director Wendy Kelman, Curator Dr. Arnold T. Blumberg, Associate Director of Sales Julie Stewart, and Auction/Retail Development Director Jeff Robison, Senior Sales Consultant Kathie Boozer, and Museum Project Consultant Mark Ward attended the ceremony along with Geppi.
In addition to Wright and Asti, the Maryland Stadium Authority was represented by and Carol Salmon (Assistant Director) Andrea Harrison (Public Information Officer) and Karen Glenn (Public Information Officer) also attended on behalf of the state's Department of Business and Economic Development (DBED).
Christine Meyer (Deputy Director), Meredith Schwartz (Group Sales Manager), Gregg Wilhelm (Director of Communications) and Lisa Salvatore (Communications Assistant) attended with Hodes for Sports Legends at Camden Yards.
Paul Tiburzi (Managing Partner) represented the project's law firm DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary, and George Holback and Don Farmer attended on behalf of architects Cho Benn Holback + Associates.
Geppi's Entertainment Museum will also be working to establish itself as an educational center, and is working with a number of Baltimore museums and other organizations along those lines.
Additionally, the museum's store will offer visitors a unique opportunity to purchase pop culture items from the past and present, and it will also feature many publications in conjunction with the museum's educational efforts.