Opened October 5, 2019, at the 31st Oliver Hardy Festival in Harlem, Georgia. The Harlem Museum and Welcome Center provide the history of the city and a bit about Columbia County.
Shortly after the first Oliver Hardy Festival in 1989, the City of Harlem, Georgia received various Laurel & Hardy objects. As time passed, this collection grew larger. As a result, the original Laurel & Hardy Museum of Georgia opened on July 15, 2002. The original museum did not have a collection storage to properly store the donated objects; the environment was not ideal for the longevity of the objects and was operated by Laurel-and-Hardy-fans-turned volunteers who quickly began to run out of space. This part of the Museum moved from its previous location at the time of the Harlem Museum and Welcome Center grand opening in 2019. This current location has more space, a collections storage, and a better exhibition area to be able to tell the phenomenal story of Laurel and Hardy and their impact on society.
Meghan Foster
Master of Heritage Preservation, Public History (Georgia State University)
Bachelor of Arts in History and Anthropology (Augusta University)
Associate of Arts in General Studies (Georgia Military College)
Vacant
Sina Trotman
Gary O. Russeth - Sons of the Desert member and occasional docent volunteer
Volunteers are welcome please contact the museum staff by calling, emailing, or stopping in the Museum. We will be happy to discuss your volunteering preferences. A background check through the City of Harlem, Georgia is a requirement.
There's much to see here. So, take your time, look around, and learn all there is to know about us. We hope you enjoy your visit and take a moment to drop us a line.