By Katrina Ryan, Museum of Hounds & Hunting
MIDDLEBURG, November 10, 2023 – The Museum of Hounds and Hunting North America is pleased to announce expansion of our presence in Virginia. In early November, Middleburg’s historic Duffy House (built circa 1820) was secured as a second location. Many years in the making, this exciting next chapter in the Museum’s history garnered enthusiastic support of the MFHA and the Middleburg community at large.
While the official opening is planned for sometime in 2024, we will have a presence at the famous Christmas in Middleburg Parade on Saturday, December 2.
Centrally located in the historic district of Middleburg at 11 W. Washington Street, the Duffy House was the original home of the National Sporting Library from 1954 till 1969. It was subsequently occupied by a fine art gallery, and most recently by a real estate agency.
“We simply could not ask for a more fitting location in a landmark building in the center of the Town with rich history of promoting the sporting culture in the heart of Virginia hunt country,” said chairman Nancy Bedford.
Established in 1985 at the stately mansion at Morven Park, the mission of the Museum is to preserve the art, artifacts, and memorabilia of foxhunting in North America. With additional gallery space in Middleburg, the sizable collection of rare artifacts accumulated over the past 35 plus years, many of which have been in storage, will now be available on display for the very first time. The Museum’s educational programs will be designed as an introduction to the hunt country lifestyle for newcomers to the Middleburg area and for the younger generation interested in the history of mounted hunting with hounds.
The multi-level Middleburg gallery will operate in addition to the Morven Park Mansion gallery in Leesburg and extend access to both the membership and the public. It will showcase foxhunting themed paintings and bronzes of renowned artists, some available for sale. A retail component will complement the visitor experience.
Seeking to acquire important and valuable artifacts before they are lost, the Museum is the one in North America to provide a special place for the preservation and display of the sport’s rich foxhunting history. It promotes public understanding of mounted hunting with hounds by developing exhibits and educational programs. The Museum is also a fervent advocate of the conservation, protection, and preservation of the bucolic rural landscape integral to the foxhunting culture with an aim to safeguard for future generations.
As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, the MHHNA relies on the generosity of its supporters and accepts any form of contribution. Membership, year-end donations, annual individual, or corporate contributions, as well as donations of art and artifacts to the museum are all tax-deductible. To support our mission, please consider donating at www.mhhna.org/join
