Kent State University Museum
A Museum and Educational Center of Fashion, Textile and Design
Established in 1985 through a gift from New York garment manufacturers Shannon Rodgers and Jerry Silverman, the Kent State University Museum offers unparalleled access for students, faculty and researchers. Students from across disciplines engage in hands-on experiences and classes, exploring material, design and historical context. Serving as a living classroom, the museum bridges the past and the present for the next generation of designers, artists and innovators. As one of only a handful of museums of its kind in the United States and with a collection that rivals that of the famed Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in New York, the museum is a vital community resource that fosters local engagement, cultural tourism and economic growth.
More than 10,000 visitors and scholars come to the museum each year to view its rotating special exhibitions and attend a variety of year-round public programming including workshops, lectures and special events. The museum’s collection continues to expand and thousands of items have been added over its 40-year history. These acquisitions include Katharine Hepburn’s clothing and costumes, a collection of decorative American glass, and garments and accessories by renowned designers such as Chanel, Dior, Vivienne Westwood, Dame Zandra Rhodes, Tracy Reese and Isabel Toledo.
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Collection Preservation
The museum’s current heating and cooling system must be upgraded to store and preserve the collection in a climate-controlled environment. The system replacement will ensure the historically and culturally significant items in the museum’s care maintain their integrity and survive long into the future.
(Expected cost: $4.5 million)
Collection Preservation
The museum’s current heating and cooling system must be upgraded to store and preserve the collection in a climate-controlled environment. The system replacement will ensure the historically and culturally significant items in the museum’s care maintain their integrity and survive long into the future.
(Expected cost: $4.5 million)Collection Preservation
The museum’s current heating and cooling system must be upgraded to store and preserve the collection in a climate-controlled environment. The system replacement will ensure the historically and culturally significant items in the museum’s care maintain their integrity and survive long into the future.
(Expected cost: $4.5 million) -
Collection Preservation
The museum’s current heating and cooling system must be upgraded to store and preserve the collection in a climate-controlled environment. The system replacement will ensure the historically and culturally significant items in the museum’s care maintain their integrity and survive long into the future.
(Expected cost: $4.5 million)
Collection Preservation
The museum’s current heating and cooling system must be upgraded to store and preserve the collection in a climate-controlled environment. The system replacement will ensure the historically and culturally significant items in the museum’s care maintain their integrity and survive long into the future.
(Expected cost: $4.5 million)Collection Preservation
The museum’s current heating and cooling system must be upgraded to store and preserve the collection in a climate-controlled environment. The system replacement will ensure the historically and culturally significant items in the museum’s care maintain their integrity and survive long into the future.
(Expected cost: $4.5 million)
Why Your Support Matters
The Kent State University Museum represents how the community and a university can unite to preserve, celebrate and share one of the world’s most important collections of fashion, costume, textiles and decorative arts. The museum’s long-term sustainability depends on securing its ability to fund exhibitions, cover operating expenses and maintain facilities, including upgrades to provide the climate-controlled environment essential to the conservation of its impressive collection. Your support ensures the museum can continue to honor and protect the legacy of Shannon Rodgers and Jerry Silverman’s initial gift to Kent State, while transforming the future of the museum to make it accessible for generations to come.
Join Us On This Journey
Let us show the power of what’s possible when a community comes together to support a shared vision. Your investment today at any level ensures that the Kent State University Museum continues to thrive.
For more information or to discuss a philanthropic gift, please contact us at cgalla10@kent.edu or 330-672-0412.