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Category: A Day at the National Museum

Support the Museum.

Help preserve the history of the islands.

Find out what’s happening behind the scenes

Cacios Heritage House – Thank you AND Construction

Monday, 17 August 2015 by

On August 8 and again on August 15, Winston Parker of AND Construction came to the Museum campus in the Village at Grace Bay to cleanup the rubble left over from the construction of the wall surrounding the Caicos Heritage House garden. The wall was built using local materials and traditional methods. The cleanup is hugely appreciated and is an example of the voluntary community support for this important project highlighting the history of the Caicos Islands.

Winston

Cleaning up the area around the Caicos Heritage House garden wall after construction. Photo by Candianne Williams

Winston Parker of AND Construction clearing rubble away.

Winston Parker of AND Construction clearing rubble away. Photo by Candianne Williams

Thank you AND Construction for your continued support of the Museum!

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Philippona Family Visits Grand Turk

Monday, 10 August 2015 by

On Saturday August 1, 2015 we had a lovely visit from the Philippona family. You may recognize the name, as Ted Philippona donated his vast photo collection to the Turks and Caicos National Museum. Ted’s son, Derk and his family spent time going through the museum and seeing the new exhibits.

The Philipponas (L-R): Luke, Lauren, Erica, Derk, and his wife Donna

The Philipponas (L-R): Luke, Lauren, Erica, Derk, and his wife Donna

Our tour guide Fred Glinton remembered Ted Philippona when he lived on Grand Turk in the early 1960s, which made the tour even more special!

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Special Visitors at TC Museum in Grace Bay

Friday, 24 July 2015 by

Our visitors Dr. Jerald Schreiber and Connie Goddard, Ph.D. are history and nature enthusiasts. They were unable to go to Grand Turk to visit the Museum so they were delighted to learn that the Museum had a presence in Providenciales and could pursue their history passion right here.

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Dr. XXX Schreiber and Connie Goddard visit the Museum’s development office in Grace Bay. Photo by Candianne Williams.

We had some great discussions as we went through the timeline in the Development Office and looked at the videos. They simply loved the Caicos Heritage House and garden as well.

Jerald is one of the visiting vets doing surgeries the Vet Clinic, whose wonderful service we and our animals are very grateful for. He and Connie, who is an historian and writer, visited us on his day off. They were delighted with their visit and they look forward to returning to see our progress towards a museum in Providenciales.

Thank you Dr. Schreiber for your volunteer service to our community.

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A New Volunteer Angel

Friday, 24 July 2015 by

angel-ben-croppedWe are happy to report that we have a new volunteer! Please give a warm welcome to Ms. Angel Ben. With a background in merchandising and business we are sure she can help us with gift shop buys and staging the gift shop. Angel will also be assisting in the library.

We are always looking for volunteers. Interested? Please email info@tcmuseum.org.

If nothing else you will come away laughing because we have such a great fun staff with which to work!

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A Surprise in the Mail

Monday, 20 July 2015 by

Louis Williams 1964 croppedIn late July we received a package with a large framed photo with a brass plaque that stated “Louis Williams at the tracking station 1964”. There was a short note on the back, explaining that the photographer worked with Mr. Williams in 1964 and thought the Museum would like this photo. No return address, or contact information was given.

Will we find the photographer? Will we find the man in the photo? Read the Fall issue of the Astrolabe in the Times of the Islands for an update on this very interesting story!

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Exploring Secrets of the Past on Grand Turk

Sunday, 12 July 2015 by

This summer we had some great school groups visit the Museum both in Grand Turk and Provo. Here in Grand Turk the children are being taught about the Molasses Reef Wreck by Nikki Jennings, one of our wonderful tour guides.

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Nikki Jennings with school children exploring the secrets of the Molasses Reef Wreck.

Nikki does a real “hands on” tour with our school children and you can see just how pleased they are to participate.

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Update on the Tele Box

Friday, 10 July 2015 by

tele-box-1-MG_2744Thanks to all those that donated to refurbish our wonderful telephone box donated to the Museum by Seamus Day. So far we have collected $968 from movie nights and other donations towards the refurbishing costs, including shipping! Only $832 more to go.

When it is completed it will even have the old time beveled mirror and advertisements from that era on the backboard of the phone booth. Now all we need is a real phone!!

Watch for the Fall issue of the Astrolabe in the Times of the Islands for the complete story of how it came to be on Grand Turk, photos of this lovely relic from the 1930’s, and the special volunteers who are helping to restore it for the Museum!

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An Evening Under the Stars

Tuesday, 30 June 2015 by

On Friday June 19 the Turks and Caicos National Museum held a “Toast to the National’s Capital” wine tasting event at Waterloo. The Museum partnered with the Wine Cellar and Grand Turk Liquors along Chef Peter Redstone from Pelican Bay Restaurant in the Royal West Indies Resort.

Our wonderful hosts, HE Governor and Mrs. Beckingham welcomed guests who were then greeted by Anthony (Tony) Garland from the Wine Cellar in Providenciales with a glass of Santa Margherita Prosecco Brut.

Tony Garland serving a welcome glass of Brut

Tony Garland serving a welcome glass of Brut

From there, Tony took us on a worldwide adventure through the wonderful wine he brought to sample. From France, to South Africa, Italy, USA and Chile every wine tasting was accompanied by beautifully presented and scrumptious appetizers by Chef Redstone.

Guests enjoying the evening and appetizers

Guests enjoying the evening and appetizers

The setting in the gardens at Waterloo made the evening even more enjoyable. If that was not enough, the soft sounds from Dudley Been kept the evening on a wonderful pace.

There were raffle prizes to be won, and thanks to Grand Turk Liquors our guests had the chance to win one of three $75.00 gift certificates. The Museum also raffled off three chances to win a pair of TCNM inscribed wine glasses.

At one point Tony won a gift certificate and then had the crowd going as he auctioned off his prize. Thanks to Deborah Viera and Jack Sheery who split the gift certificate and a special dessert wine donated by the Wine Cellar, the raffle yielded $450.00!!

The Museum netted $1,575.00 from this wonderful evening.

Thanks to all who purchased tickets, and a BIG thank you to Tony Garland from The Wine Cellar, GT Liquors, Dudley Been, and of course our hosts, HE Governor and Mrs. Jill Beckingham. The TCNM team who worked throughout the evening, Cecile Wennick and Fred Glinton who manned the sign in table, Pat Saxton who was MC for the event, and Nikki Jennings who really got guests reaching into their pockets to purchase raffle tickets!

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A Toast to Our Nation’s Capital

Friday, 12 June 2015 by

Support the Museum and join us in a summer wine tasting hosted by H.E. The Governor and Mrs. Beckingham. July 19th @ 7pm Waterloo, Grand Turk

GT-Liquors-Waterloo-Save-th
To all who are away from the islands, we invite you to join us in “spirit” on Friday, June 19 and support our summer fundraiser. Purchase a virtual “ticket” or donate an amount of your choosing via our PayPal links below.

Virtual Wine Tasting Tickets

Donate at any level

 

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Rolf, Marlene and Karen Visit the Grace Bay Campus

Tuesday, 26 May 2015 by

By Candianne Williams
Museum Representative on Providenciales

L-R: Karen Delancy, Marlene and Rolf Lagerquist visit the Grace Bay campus and Caicos Heritage House.

L-R: Karen Delancy, Marlene and Rolf Lagerquist visit the Grace Bay campus and Caicos Heritage House.

Rolf and Marlene Lagerquist, visitors to the island of Providenciales from Austin, Texas came to visit the Development Office and Caicos Heritage House. They were delighted to have had the opportunity to visit a museum in its inception stages, a first for them. They now feel a part of the process and share our excitement for the future. They said that they would follow its development and they look forward to visiting the new museum on Providenciales in the not too distant future. Karen Delancy, managing director of Destination Management Company passed by and joined us. She said that the visit to the Caicos Heritage House and Garden brought her back a few years. She shared her fond memories of her grandmother’s house and her childhood with us. She too is excited and she will work towards making the museum on Providenciales a reality.

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The Museum is a publicly funded not for profit organization.

It is not a part of the Turks & Caicos Islands Government and receives no regular support from the Government. Only your Support makes it all possible. Become a supporter today — we can’t do it without your help.

Become a Supporter

The Colors of the Turks and Caicos Islands

RED was chosen to represent the nation’s capital, Grand Turk. The color is taken from the red/pink fruit found on the national plant, the Turks Head Cactus. They were once found in abundance on Grand Turk before they were removed to accommodate the salt ponds.

WHITE was chosen to represent Salt Cay. The color came from salt. The salt industry was largely responsible for populating the islands of Salt Cay, Grand Turk and South Caicos.

ORANGE was chosen to represent South and East Caicos. The color comes from the Spiny Lobster and fish and reflects the fishing industry in the “Big South.”

TAN was chosen to represent Middle Caicos. The color is taken from the raw material (thatch) that once covered the roofs of the houses. It is also used to make straw hats, baskets and brooms. Middle Caicos is known for the superior quality of native craftwork.

GREEN was chosen to represent North Caicos and Parrot Cay. The color is taken from the fruit trees and other types of trees that flourish in the most fertile of all the islands. North Caicos is also home of Wade’s Green Plantation, the most successful of Caicos Islands cotton plantations.

TURQUOISE was chosen to represent the islands of Providenciales, Pine Cay and West Caicos. The color is taken from the beautiful turquoise waters that surround these islands on which our famous Caicos fishing sloops sail. These turquoise waters also contribute to our newest industry, tourism.

PINK was chosen to represent the beautiful conch shell, flamingoes and the numerous uninhabited cays that make up our chain of islands.

YELLOW represents God’s glory as the sun shining down on all our beautiful islands and cays. The sun also contributes to our newest industry, tourism.

View a timeline of important events and dates in the history of the islands

View Timeline

A Few Artifacts You’ll See at the Museum

Our collections represent the rich historical, cultural and natural heritage of the Turks and Caicos Islands and its people.

Lucayan Duho

Photo courtesy of Joanna Ostapkowicz. The Duho is one of the rarest artifacts in the museum’s collections. It was used a ceremonial seat for the cacique or chief of the Lucayans, the first inhabitants of these islands.

Fresnel Lens

The Grand Turk Lighthouse was erected in 1852 and was originally designed to burn whale oil and had an Argand reflector lamp. In 1943 the lighthouse was converted to a Fresnel Lens one of these lenses is now on display at the Museum.

Swivel Gun

The Molasses reef wreck, an early Spanish Caravel was equipped with three types of breech-loading swivel guns, one type is shown above. The swivel guns are thought to be anti-personnel weapons placed wherever convenient along the ship’s rail.

Salt Industry Post Card

The museum has diverse collection of early postcards of the Turks and Caicos Islands. Most post cards depict scenes on Grand Turk, the capital and from the salt industry.

Take a Look
TCI Governor

Governor of the Turks & Caicos Islands

H.E. Nigel Dakin CMG

The Turks & Caicos Islands National Museum on Grand Turk surely stands in one of the most majestic settings of any museum, anywhere! Perched on the edge of the Columbus Landfall national park. The 200-year-old building, “Guinep Lodge”, which houses a multitude of artifacts covering everything from the pre–Columbian Indians to the modern age, is a museum in its own right. The west facing building has stood firm and witnessed 200+ years of incredible TCI sunsets and has withstood every major hurricane since before records began.

The National Museum plays a vital role in recovering, preserving, recording and displaying the history of these island for all to see, enjoy and learn from. The museum’s archive is a veritable treasure trove of information, with enough information to fill two museums. With thousands of pre-Columbian artifacts from multiple archeological digs from around the TCI over the last 50 years, un-displayed artifacts from ancient warships, parish records or births, deaths and marriages dating back over 200 years; a veritable gold mine of information, just waiting to be discovered.

The museum is not only an exhibition facility for local history and artifacts, but also undertakes important work in the community with multiple events throughout the year and supports all the TCI schools, has a regular summer camp and kids club for our budding historians and archeologists of tomorrow.  The Grand Turk location includes a “science building” which is a fully fledged restoration facility to stabilize artifacts before they are displayed or stored in the archive. All of this work has been quietly undertaken since the museum was founded 30 years ago. There is also a campus on Provo and there are exciting plans underway to construct a new, multimillion dollar purpose-built facility for the wider enjoyment of our fascinating history. The Governor’s Office is proud to have supported the TCNMF over the years with vital capital projects.

Whether you are a local, or a visitor to our beautiful shores; I encourage you to visit and support the Turks & Caicos National Museum and absorb our colorful and surprisingly diverse local history.


H E Nigel Dakin CMG

Governor of the Turks & Caicos Islands

Minister for Tourism, Heritage & Culture for inclusion on the museum website

Hon. Josephine Connnolly

"It is a pleasure as Minister with responsibility of Heritage to welcome you to the Turks and Caicos Islands National Museum website. This Gem of an operation is perhaps the most notable establishment in regards to sites of historical interest. Since its establishment in 1991 it has always been an intricate part of our tourism product.

As a supporter, I believe the National Museum’s success depends on all resident and visitors; and as Minister I am committed to strengthening our tourism product through the infusion of authenticity and the increase in awareness of the National Museum in the development of heritage assets for sustainable tourism development.

Visit and explore the Grand Turk and Providenciales locations and experience our heritage and culture through interactive displays and exhibits. Special thanks is extended to the National Museum, a tangible product, a repository for artefacts and documents, providing a true island experience.".

Hon. Josephine Connnolly
Minister for Tourism, Heritage & Culture for inclusion on the museum website

President of Turks and Caicos Islands Community College

Dr. Hubert A. Fulford

"My interest in history and research goes back to my years as a student at the then Grand Turk Secondary School, where my teacher and later mentor, the late Helena Jones Robinson instilled a curiosity in me to appreciate context.  At that time, not fully appreciating the impact that curiosity would have on me, I sought only to please my teacher.

Pursuing tertiary education at various institutions, in various countries and at various levels, my initial foundation of inquiry was further stimulated.  Libraries and museums would form a very important part of my education, specifically during my studies in Jamaica, Canada and the United Kingdom.

Returning home after my studies abroad, my first visit to the Museum so captivated me that I began to tell all persons, visitors and islanders alike, that a visit to the museum was a MUST! The quaintness, yet thorough organization and presentation of artifacts of various kinds avowed me.

I found tremendous joy in taking my TCI Studies students to the Museum, standing back and listening to their expressions of excitement and curiosity as the curators and assistants would walk them through the various displays and presentations.

The Jamaican expression “likkle but tallawah” (small but strong) aptly fits our Museum.  The significance of this institution to our history and culture cannot be over stressed.

Welcome to The Museum.  A combination of history, culture and enchantment awaits you."

Dr. Hubert A. Fulford

President of Turks and Caicos Islands Community College

Historic Photo Gallery of the Turks and Caicos Islands

All images and the design of this Web site are protected under federal copyright laws. Any downloading, duplication or reproduction of any part of this Web site by any method whatsoever without the expressed written permission of the Turks & Caicos National Museum Foundation is strictly prohibited. Photos and/or usage rights are available for purchase please contact us for details.

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Locations

Guinep House, Front Street

Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos Islands, British West Indies (BWI)
Tel (01 649) 247-2160
From the US (786) 220-1159
Hours Vary - See our schedule under Locations

The Village at Grace Bay

Development Office and Caicos Heritage House
Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands, British West Indies (BWI)
Tel (01 649) 247-2161
Grace Bay Hours: See Hours For This Location

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