'Demolish Or Preserve' Exhibit Opens At Norwalk's Lockwood-Mathews Mansion

NORWALK, Conn. -- A new multimedia exhibit with photographs, costumes, artifacts and music will explore the fascinating and tumultuous decade of the 1960s.

This bold, floral print pantsuit from the late 1960s was designed by Joe Curtis. Collection of Mary Findlay.
Photo Credit: *Sarah Grote Photography*

Daily Voice

05/05/2016 4:30 a.m.

"Demolish or Preserve: The 1960s" at the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion opened Wednesday and continues through Nov. 20. There will be an opening reception from 5:30-7:30 p.m. May 12; cost is $10 for non-members and $5 for members.

It is impossible to remember the 1960s without thinking of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landing on the moon, the Beatles arriving in the United States, the Civil Rights movement the Vietnam War and — most hauntingly — the assassinations of John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. Against this backdrop of turbulent cultural change and social unrest, was the nation’s modern urban planning, which included the demolition of historic neighborhoods and irreplaceable buildings.

This exhibition explores the decade of the 1960s and the mansion’s connections to the revolutionary preservation battles and new landmark statutes of the era. It also honors the museum’s 50th anniversary as it celebrates the locals, led by the Junior League of Stamford-Norwalk Inc. and the Common Interest Group, who fought to save the mansion and secure its status as a National Historic Landmark in 1971.

“I am truly thankful to all of those individuals who took on the challenge of saving the Mansion from demolition,” said Chairman of the Board Pasty Brescia. “We would not be able to celebrate the museum’s 50th Anniversary, if it weren’t for their exceptional foresight and brave stance on preserving this architectural treasure.”

“The 1960s is one of the most unforgettable, inspiring, and reexamined decades in modern history,” said Executive Director Susan Gilgore. “I am looking forward to engaging our communities with this exciting, new exhibition and renew visitors’ interest in the history and preservation of this National Historic Landmark.”

The museum is open from noon to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, $6, 8-18. For more information on schedules and programs, please visit www.lockwoodmathewsmansion.com, e-mail info@lockwoodmathewsmansion.com or call 203-838-9799.

Click here to follow Daily Voice Norwalk and receive free news updates.