Museum’s expanded online educational programming to focus on “anchor artists”
Delta Blues Museum will soon expand its Virtual Tours, thanks to funding received from the Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area (MDNHA). The newest online video feature will focus on Blues legend Robert Johnson, as the Museum looks to create additional web-based content chronicling other important “anchor artists” of Blues music.
The MDNHA grants program funds projects around five themes– The River and The Land, The Blues, Freedom, Creativity Beyond Cotton, and Diverse Communities. With this funding, Delta Blues Museum will not only produce the Robert Johnson video Field Trip but will also add five new Virtual Tours led by current musicians with connections to Blues legends. Additionally, the Museum will develop a snapshot of the life and music of Howlin’ Wolf through a new interactive Explore and Learn feature.
Museum Director Shelley Ritter–who recently unveiled new permanent exhibits in the Museum gallery–is seeking to similarly expand the Museum’s website offerings to reach new audiences and enhance the museum experience for online visitors.
“We are thrilled to be able to explore the legacies of Robert Johnson and Howlin’ Wolf in more immersive and interactive ways,” Ritter said, adding, “We also look forward to documenting the contributions and influences that these ‘anchor artists’ and others featured in our gallery have had on other musicians. Funding partners like MDNHA offer us a path to provide more educational resources online and create lifelong learning opportunities for Blues fans of all ages.”
All of Delta Blues Museum’s Virtual Tours and Field Trips are free to the public–viewer donations are suggested and appreciated. Online access is available at https://www.deltabluesmuseum.org/field-trip-tour.aspx
