Mississippi’s oldest art museum will highlight some of baseball’s most historic moments for the next few months.
The Lauren Rogers Museum of Art, in collaboration with the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, is now presenting “Picturing America’s Pastime: Snapshots from the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum’s Collection.” The exhibit will run until November 16, and is housed in the lower-level galleries of the Laurel museum.
Attendees will get an up-close and personal view of the intertwined histories of baseball and photography, from early sepia-toned team portraits to iconic modern action shots, through roughly 150 years of the sport’s evolution. Drawn from a collection of approximately 350,000 images maintained by the Hall of Fame, the exhibit features a selection of historic photographs, each backed with quotes and stories from those who were there.
Photographs capturing early baseball tours, such as an 1889 team in Egypt, and pioneering moments like a 1929 women’s Bloomer Girls team, Roberto Clemente at Wrigley Field in 1964, and Ichiro Suzuki in his classic batting stance in 2006.
A visual timeline spanning from the mid-19th century to today, reflecting baseball’s deep cultural and historical significance within American life, will give guests a better perspective as to how the sport has changed over the years.
“Mississippians love their baseball, and we are excited to host this nationally touring exhibition of historic photographs from the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Archives in Cooperstown, New York,” museum director George Bassi said.
“We are always looking for ways to engage our audience with various art forms, and photography is an approachable medium that attracts visitors. Of course, baseball is big in our region, so this exhibit will appeal to a wide audience as they appreciate both the art of photography and the history of America’s pastime. Many of our programs and art classes this fall will have a baseball theme, so there will be something for everyone.”
The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. every Tuesday through Saturday, and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays. Admission is free, but donations are encouraged.
