Andy Griffith Museum

The Andy Griffith Museum is a museum dedicated to the life and career of American actor, television producer, and singer Andy Griffith. The museum, which houses the world's largest collection of Andy Griffith memorabilia, is located in Griffith's hometown of Mount Airy, North Carolina.[1] Much of the museum's collection was acquired by Griffith's friend and the founder of Andy Griffith Museum, Emmett Forrest.[2] The facility opened to the public on September 26, 2009.[3]

Andy Griffith Museum
Andy Griffith with Ron Howard in 1961
EstablishedSeptember 26, 2009
Location218 Rockford Street
Mount Airy, North Carolina 27030
Coordinates36°29′52.2″N 80°36′31.6″W
FounderEmmett Forrest
Websitehttp://www.andygriffithmuseum.com/

Location and building

The Andy Griffith Museum is located in Mount Airy, North Carolina, a half-mile from Griffith's childhood home.[1] The 2,500-square-feet, which cost approximately $500,000 to construct, is adjacent to the Andy Griffith Playhouse.[1]

The museum founder, the late Emmett Forrest, a lifelong friend of Griffith's since elementary school, planned the museum with the Surry Arts Council for more than twenty-five years.[2] The Andy Griffith Museum was opened on September 26, 2009.

A$600,000 upgrade of the museum, with funding that included $200,000 from the city, was completed in 2017.[4]

Collection

Emmett Forrest donated an extensive collection of Andy Griffith memorabilia, which forms the basis for the museum's permanent exhibition.[1][2] The Surry Arts Council did not actually own the collection until after Forrest's death in 2013, at which time the estate turned over the collection. Many of the artifacts were in poor condition and the museum made efforts to preserve the items and keep them in good shape.[4]

Personal items on exhibit includes a rocking chair that Andy Griffith's father, Carl Griffith, made for his mother, Geneva.[5] A large portion of the museum includes pieces from the sets of The Andy Griffith Show, which aired from 1960 to 1968, and the Matlock television series.[5][6]

The museum also houses objects related to actress Betty Lynn, who now lives in Mount Airy, and the late Don Knotts.[6]

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References
  1. "Well, I'll be: Andy Griffith Museum opens". The Business Journal. January 13, 2010. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
  2. Stange, Keith (January 12, 2013). "Emmett Forrest, long-time Andy Griffith friend, has died". The Mount Airy News. Archived from the original on January 31, 2013. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
  3. "Timeline: Andy Griffith". Access Atlanta. July 3, 2012. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
  4. "Revamped Andy Griffith Museum reopens in Mount Airy". Tribune News Service. July 4, 2017. Retrieved July 5, 2017 – via Winston-Salem Journal.
  5. McCullough, Gary (March 16, 2012). "Andy Griffith Museum salutes actor's career". The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on April 7, 2013. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
  6. Joyce, Tom (February 7, 2013). "Andy Griffith Museum part of university project". The Mount Airy News. Archived from the original on April 11, 2013. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
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