International Village Wildlife Museum

Art Ledger was the first African American to own and operate his own private taxidermy business in the United States! In addition to operating this business for over 40 years, he was a founder of the Ohio Taxidermy Association and the West Virginia Taxidermy Association, serving as president on both of their boards. Art has won countless awards in Ohio, West Virginia, and other states for his artistry.

Now, Art would like to take the next step to preserve his legacy and give back to the neighborhood. His dream is to transform the shop on West 48th Street into a small museum that will feature native Ohio wildlife, as well as tell his amazing story and give a peek into the secretive art of taxidermy. 

Art is a beloved member of his community. A member of the local block club, he started a garden on his street and regularly gives back to the neighborhood. Whether that is through free meals or money to those in need, he is always giving. 

This funding will help to support his dream. The building is in need of repairs and construction to transform the spaces from a taxidermy shop into a museum fit for the public. This will mean upgrading the bathrooms, building out walls, and creating displays. Art will be the curator of the native Ohio wildlife exhibits, purchasing or creating the mounts for display. 

Already in progress: 

1. Registered as a 503 c3 Non-Profit Organization

2. Research into museums, connections with other taxidermy and museum communities, such as Gotham Taxidermy in NYC and The Field Museum in Chicago, who will be doing a feature blog poston Art in the near future. 

3. Building the board. 

4. Digitizing images and video for display, organizing files

5. Facebook page creation

Next: 

1. Construction of interior space - wall build out

2. Bathroom renovations - accessible for public use

3. Display creation - cases, mounts, labels, video display

4. Continue to build out board, volunteers, staff

5. Website Creation, listing on Atlast Obscura, taxidermy magazines, etc. 

The International Village Wildlife Museum will be open to anyone in the community and beyond. Local schools we hope to engage include Thomas Jefferson International Newcomers Academy, Clark Elementary, Walton Elementary, and more. This is a unique opportunity for students of all ages to explore wildlife in a safe, intimate setting in the middle of a the city.

The museum will also serve as a unique spot for travelers who love unusual museums and tourist attractions. They may learn about native Ohio Wildlife, taxidermy, and the accomplishments of a local historical figure in Art Ledger. 

This museum will also preserve the legacy of an important but overlooked member of the African American business community and a veteran who is responsible for starting a business, an accompanying school (Art's School of Taxidermy), and 2 state associations (Ohio and West Virginia).