Ralph Foster Museum at College of the Ozarks to open new exhibit
“Celebrate America’s Stories” opens March 27, runs all year in honor of America 250
POINT LOOKOUT, MO. — College of the Ozarks is opening a new exhibit in the Ralph Foster Museum titled “Celebrate America’s Stories” in honor of America 250, a yearlong initiative. This exhibit showcases American history with the goal of reawakening the American spirit for generations to come. The exhibit will run from Friday, March 27, through Friday, Dec. 18, 2026.
The Exhibit
As visitors venture through the exhibit, they will embark on a journey through American history. The exhibit timeline begins in 1776, featuring a Revolutionary War jacket worn by a Continental Army soldier. This jacket is only on display Fridays, Saturdays, and patriotic holidays due to its fragility.
Guests will view Great Depression paintings by award-winning American painter and muralist Thomas Hart Benton, hand-stitched historical quilts, newspapers from the JFK presidency, battle garments from the Vietnam War, and articles covering the first moon landing.
The College is pleased to feature one of First Lady Pat Nixon's gowns in the exhibit. Nixon had close ties to C of O, even visiting the campus in March of 1970 during a five‐state, four‐day inspection of college volunteer projects. She was greeted by over 100 students waving large American flags. The First Lady planted a pine tree in front of the M.A. Lyons Memorial Library and ate lunch with students at the Pearl Rogers Dining Center.
An interactive timeline video, created by junior history major Madison Suffal, will feature additional facts about the many items on display.
“The timeline starts with the founding of one of the first colonies, Jamestown, and it goes all the way to the War on Terror,” Suffal said. “Under each photo is a date and title. I didn’t add commentary, which allows viewers to create their own opinions about historical events.”
A reception will take place on Friday, March 27, from 3 to 5 p.m. Associate Professor of Humanities David Parrish, director of Academic Assessment, will give an opening speech about remembering the history of the Revolution and the pursuit of a more perfect union. Following Parrish's speech, guests will enjoy refreshments while exploring the exhibit.
A Generational Impact: Awakening the American Spirit
“By our nature, many of us get caught up in the day-to-day routine and don’t really ponder the past,” said Annette Sain, director of the Ralph Foster Museum. “It is our hope that this exhibit will be inspiring for visitors. We especially hope our younger visitors will attain a sense of pride in our nation’s history.”
To appeal to young visitors, cartoon-like pictures of a very young Ralph Foster, nicknamed Ralphie, will be hung throughout the museum with “fun facts” to get children excited about United States history. Children can also play with Lincoln Logs, which will be set up near the Great Depression and homesteading era of the exhibit.
“I think this exhibit will be full of reflection. I can see grandparents bringing their grandkids to the exhibit and recalling stories as they lived through these historic moments. It’s definitely a multi-generational event,” said Kiley Hutcheson, director of retail operations at College of the Ozarks.
A large goal of this exhibit is to awaken the American spirit, reflect on the America’s past, and share the value of patriotism with the younger generations as the country reaches a great milestone.
A Note from the Curator
Senior history major Logan Stout was thrilled at the opportunity to curate the Celebrate America’s Stories exhibit. He said the curation process was long and difficult, but worth it. Stout conducted research on 250 years of history, searched for artifacts to display, and decided on item locations within the exhibit, a process he described as “easier said than done.”
“I would describe the exhibit as a social history of this proud nation. When thinking about American history it is easy for us to get caught up in the stories like the American Revolution and World War II, but these only show a section of history. I am hoping that my exhibit is able to evoke emotion in those who have experienced this history firsthand but also provide understanding for others who did not experience these events,” Stout said.
“I hope that visitors will take away a deeper sense of what it means to be American, and they see that although there have been struggles in the past and present, Americans have always risen to meet these struggles. This is an exhibit representing over 250 years of American history, and my goal is to find a way that the modern American can relate to these stories and find themselves in our nation’s timeline.”
When Stout graduates in May, he plans to work as a museum curator. He is extremely grateful for his time working at The Ralph Foster Museum and attributes much of his personal growth to his outstanding supervisors.
About Ralph Foster Museum
The Ralph Foster Museum, on the campus of College of the Ozarks, grew from humble beginnings in the 1920s to become one of the Midwest’s foremost institutions of historical preservation.
Dr. Robert M. Good, the president of the school at the time, took an interest in the idea of a museum on campus. Subsequently, he made space available for the display of items in the basement of Abernathy Hall, a boy’s residence hall. When the residence hall was later vacated, funds were provided to convert the entire building into a museum.
The primary focus of the Ralph Foster Museum today is to collect, preserve, interpret, and exhibit items relating to the Ozarks region. One of the more famous exhibits is the original vehicle used in the television series, "The Beverly Hillbillies." In addition, visitors will find College baseball and agricultural memorabilia, antiques, weapons, dolls, natural history, and other items from around the world.
The Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and ticket prices can be found on the Museum's website.