Beginning on February 13, 2016, the Seaford Museum will host “Through the Lens,” an exhibit of photographs from The William D. Willis World War II Photographic Collection.
The Willis collection includes more than 650 photographs taken by William D. Willis, who was a Dover, Delaware, native, and his colleagues who served as official military photographers during service in Western Europe between 1943 and 1945. The collection includes objects that belonged to Willis as well as objects chosen from the state collections and loaned by private lenders to enhance interpretation.
“Through the Lens” is based on three displays exhibited at Dover’s Legislative Hall over the last year and features photographs and objects organized according to specific topics. The titles of the presentations include About William D. Willis, War Production, Prisoners of War, Agriculture, Base Life and Entertainment, and the Home Front. One of the interesting aspects of “Lens” is the fact that there are stories and representations from the permanent displays of the museum that compliment the subjects depicted in the Willis photographs.
“Through the Lens” was created as a collaborative partnership between the Delaware Division of Heritage and Cultural Affairs and the Seaford Historical Society. The partnership is one of several in which the division has participated in recent years as part of its Affiliates Program, which employs professionals from the division staff and heritage-based organizations throughout Delaware to develop united programs and exhibits.
From: Delaware.gov