History
This was created by the WPA. The Charles A. Wustum Museum was founded in 1941. Jennie E. Wustum, widow of Charles A. Wustum, donated their house, property and small trust fund to the City of Racine, Wisconsin. She had wanted to create an art museum and park that would benefit future generations of the Racine community. In 1941, her donation formally became the Charles A. Wustum Museum of Fine Arts through the cooperative efforts of the City of Racine and the Racine Art Association (now the Racine Art Museum Association, Inc.)
Sylvester Jerry was named the first Director of the Wustum Museum. He oversaw its grand opening on November 16, 1941. The building and program began to grow, especially in Racine’s community in the larger sense. Early support of the museum came from many sources, both individuals and organizations. Western Publishing Company furnished supplies for the classes. Chicago artists exhibited at the museum; Evan Dimitry, a photographer for Life magazine, appeared at fundraisers. Various groups, such as the Racine Camera Club and Charles A. Wustum Flower Guild met at the museum adding to its visibility.
In 1986, the museum received professional accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums, an accomplishment achieved by fewer than 5% of museums nationwide.
Read more about this topic: Racine Art Museum
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