HARLEM, Ga. (WJBF) – The Harlem Museum and Welcome Center is the home of the Laurel and Hardy Museum.
Inside the museum you’ll find plenty of items that highlight the two comedians careers. Not only that but you’ll also find plenty of Harlem’s history as well.
For “Your Hometown Road Trip,” we stopped by and talked with the Museum Director, Meghan Foster about what people can expect when visiting.
What is this museum and why is it special to Harlem?
“The Laurel and Hardy Museum is here because one half of this world wide comedic duo is Oliver Hardy and he was born here in Harlem in 1892. Stan was actually born in England in 1890 but it’s his birth place for Oliver.” Basically with Laurel and Hardy, if you knew anything about how films were done back then, they started off in the silent films and a lot of those actors that started in silent films and a lot of those actors that started in silent films were not able to transition successfully, and Stan and Ollie were able to transition in to talkies.
What are some of the things you’ll find here in the museum?
We’ve updated the Laurel and Hardy exhibits to follow a more chronological path. It starts in the early years and it discuses what they did and where they moved, and then the next exhibit we talk about their time in the studio and how they teamed up.. The final exhibit is about things that have happened since they passed away, and movies they’ve influenced.
The Laurel and Hardy Museum is free to the public, and they’re open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:30 to 4pm. Donations are also accepted.
