Wright Museum Appoints Mark Foynes as Executive Director

Wright Museum Press Release

Mark Foynes Named Executive Director

WOLFEBORO, NH - The E. Stanley Wright Museum's Board of Directors is excited to announce the appointment of Mark Foynes as the museum's new executive director.

Foynes has worked in the museum field for the past 11 years, most recently as the director of education at the NH Historical Society in Concord. For the past seven years, he oversaw the dramatic expansion of the Society's educational programs for children and adults. The Wright's decision to select Foynes is an acknowledgement of the museum's mission to educate audiences across the generations.

Foynes has a passion for the history of the Second World War, which is the museum's interpretive focus. "I've always had an affinity for the achievements of the World War II generation," Foynes said. "The accomplishments of Americans who marshalled their efforts to overcome the global threat to freedom are a testament to the American spirit."

Foynes is excited about furthering the vision of the museum's founder, David Wright, who was an avid collector of military vehicles and other artifacts from WWII. Wright passed away in 2003, but the museum he created survives as his legacy, and as a memorial to the efforts of the WWII generation.

As Americans who lived through WWII continue to age, the work of the Wright Museum is all the more important. "Our mission is to preserve and share the stories of America's Greatest Generation for generations to come," said Foynes.

Museums, according to Foynes, have a tremendous ability to personalize the past. Unlike history textbooks, which often reduce history to dates and statistics, museums make the past tangible and relevant by sharing the actual objects that people made and used.

Most satisfying to Foynes is the Wright's ability to conjure so many memories among visitors. "There's a special feeling you get when a mother points to our tank and says to her child, "that's just like the one that your granddaddy drove in the war."

While the Wright Museum houses a large collection of fully-operational military vehicles, many of its exhibits focus on the Home Front. A visit to the museum allows visitors to appreciate the profound sacrifices that ordinary Americans endured while living through extraordinary times.

To preserve scarce resources for the war effort, Americans were asked to conserve or fdo entirely without commodities such as gasoline, butter, and meat. The production of consumer goods ranging from automobiles to nylon stockings all be ceased so that war time production could continue.

"Everybody was asked to sacrifice," said Foynes. "Since so many Americans had family members and friends fighting for freedom on the frontlines, most everybody felt a duty to do what we could, back on the Home Front."

Foynes sees this same sense of commitment in the greater Wolfeboro community, and throughout the region. As a non-profit institution, the Wright relies entirely on the private contributions and the efforts of volunteers. "We exist because we have an important story to tell--and because so many people have invested their time and resources into preserving this important part of American history."

Foynes is already hard at work getting the museum ready for its open season, which runs from May 1 to October 31. The museum's "Tuesday Night at the Wright" summer lecture series has already been planned, and arrangements for its annual family day are in the works. In addition, the museum will be opening its new exhibit gallery which will feature a wide varietiy of treasures from its collections. To learn more, visit the Wright Museum at www.wrightmuseum.org or call (603) 569-1212.

Contact Info:

Mark Foynes
Executive Director
E. Stanley Wright Museum
77 Center St., P.O. Box 1212
Wolfeboro, NH 03894
Ph: (603) 569-1212 Fax: (603) 569-6326

Susan MacMichael John
(603) 569-1994