The Lomas Center Museum: An Introduction

Perhaps the greatest challenge to Museum Directors, Curators, and Conservators is the process of applying education, judgement, and ensuring community values, to decisions on what to exhibit and how to interpret it; and how to best conserve these objects in the public trust for perpetuity.

This also extends to programing content. Our Board of Directors are committed to being accurate and true about our objects. Museums are a place to learn and enjoy, but also have a duty to confront visitors with the truth, even uncomfortable truths, and to spur thought on preconceived values, viewpoints, and opinions that humans frequently hold as “truth,” and sometimes form beliefs based upon them.

In the upcoming year, we will host a variety of speakers, authors, and experts in their field who will inform and educate you, but hopefully also challenge your positions and cause you to think critically about what was presented. History is not, and should not, be comfortable.

Our Mission and Vision

The Lomas Center Museum has a professional staff, and our philosophy is that we must honestly engage with the past to truly understand the present, and be informed about our future. To understand what we are, we must understand what we were. The museum has two broadly applied approaches to interpretation; Historical interpretation is based on rigorous research into the documented past of an object. Archaeological interpretation is based on the material culture of the object, and its cultural significance to those from that culture, and us today. Combining these two elements is how we get the most complete story of any particular object. Our staff represents this approach.

Who We Are

Dr. Michael Nelson PhD, RPA is an archaeologist, and has worked in the field for 30+ years. He brings the material culture aspect to the museum, as well as serving as the Museum Director. He worked at several archaeology and engineering firms, and even worked at Colonial Williamsburg. He is also a credentialed conservator of arms, armor, and some organic material.

Mr. Kevin Wackford is our Director of Programs, and senior guide at the museum. He earned a B.S. and worked for the State of New York prior to moving to Gettysburg. Besides running the various programs offered at the Lomas Center Museum (LCM), we is also responsible for taking the material and historical information, and crafting it into compelling stories, that visitors can academically and emotionally connect to. He is also the trainer for all of our guides, paid or volunteer.

Mr. Bert Barnett is the historic research associate, and he holds a B.S. in American History. His primary duties involve historic research and documentation of our collections and programing at the LCM. Bert is a retired National Park Service Ranger, and has done several conferences and TV appearances regarding civil war history.

Volunteer Opportunities

The museum is currently accepting applications for volunteers. There is a list of available positions, and applications at the front desk – volunteers are critical to the operation and mission of the museum, and are valued members of our team.

Be sure to check us out on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to learn more about the museum.