NEWSLETTER
Bethel, N.Y. (July 20, 2020) – Dr. Neal V. Hitch has joined Bethel Woods Center for the Arts as Senior Curator of The Museum at Bethel Woods. Dr. Hitch is a historian, preservation architect, museum specialist, and musician who has been working for over 25 years in developing historic sites and museums. He comes to the historic site after a national search led by Arts Consulting Group.
Before joining Bethel Woods in January, Dr. Hitch worked in several premier destinations, serving as director of museums in the Caribbean, Hawaiʻi, Alaska, and on the border of Mexico in California. For the last decade, he has also been working within the design collective i/thee leading art and architecture camps and designing large-scale inhabitable artworks.
“We are excited to welcome Dr. Hitch to Bethel Woods, where his passion for music, art, and preservation can find a home on our historic grounds,” said Eric Frances, Chief Executive Officer, Bethel Woods Center for the Arts.
“It is a privilege to work somewhere that most people come on their day off or their vacation,” Dr. Hitch added. “People have a lot of things they could do with their free time – it is a constant priority to make The Museum a place that meets expectations, is authentic, and is fun.”
With Dr. Hitch as Senior Curator, The Museum will look to create new opportunities for visitors to experience the history of the 1969 Woodstock Music and Art Fair within the historic landscape. Such opportunities include the recently announced More Than A Meal: Dinner, Drinks & A Shpiel with Neal dinner series. This socially-distant dining experience takes place in the open-air Market Sheds, offering four courses, craft cocktails, and “bite-sized” pieces of history as Dr. Hitch explores the ‘60s. Tickets are now available for purchase.
July 30th and 31st: Be Careful of What’s Underfoot
We have a surprising new find in our collection that was on site during the festival in 1969 but has been worn since then. But be careful where you step, it is probably not what you think it is.
August 6th and 7th: Don’t Give Me Flak, but Do Give Me a Helmet
Four months after Woodstock, Marion Edward Foddrill was in Vietnam. He came home with more than just a story.
The Museum at Bethel Woods explores the social, political, cultural, and musical transformations of the 1960s. For more information and to plan your visit, please go online: BethelWoodsCenter.org
NOTE: No more than 25% maximum occupancy will be allowed in The Museum at Bethel Woods – it is recommended that tickets are purchased in advance.
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About Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
Bethel Woods Center for the Arts inspires, educates, and empowers individuals through the arts and humanities by presenting a diverse selection of culturally-rich performances, popular artists, and community and educational programming. Located 90 miles from New York City at the site of the 1969 Woodstock festival in Bethel, NY, the lush 800-acre campus includes a Pavilion Stage amphitheater with seating for 15,000, an intimate 440-seat indoor Event Gallery, the award-winning Museum at Bethel Woods, and a Conservatory for arts education programming.
Through the in-depth study and exhibition of the social, political, and cultural events of the 1960s, as well as the preservation of the historic site of the Woodstock Music and Art Fair, Bethel Woods educates individuals about the issues and lessons of the decade while inspiring a new generation to contribute positively to the world around them. The not-for-profit organization relies on the generous support of individuals, corporations, and foundations to develop and sustain programs that improve the quality of life in the region and beyond.
For more information please visit www.BethelWoodsCenter.org.
Contact:
Bridget Smith
v.845.583.2179
Photos & Interviews may be available upon request