Current Exhibits

The Massillon Museum's Stark County Artists Exhibition is an annual juried exhibition open to present and former Stark County residents and those currently working in Stark County. All artwork has been completed within the last two years and all entrants are over 18 years of age. 

This year, 57 artworks by 37 artists were selected out of 203 entries from 85 artists. 

Massillon was both a home and a host to a variety of characters in the early days of the circus. Dr. Immel’s model celebrates the massive three-ring circus, but a circus could also be a smaller affair. The home-grown circuses of Massillon were enticing ventures for local business owners and a springboard for performers wanting to break into the industry. 

Small but Mighty tells the stories of circus entrepreneurs, entertainers, and enthusiasts connected to Massillon, and is centered around Dr. Immel's miniature circus model. 

The 100-square foot miniature circus contains 2,620 pieces: thirty-six elephants, 186 horses, 102 assorted animals, ninety-one wagons, seven tents, and 2,207 people. Most of the pieces were hand-carved by Dr. Robert Immel using tools from his dental practice.

Henry Clay Fleming (1845–1942) recorded images on glass plate negatives through much of his career that spanned seven decades as a portrait photographer in Ravenswood, West Virginia. Fleming’s fragile glass plates were packed away and neglected for over sixty years. They came to the Massillon Museum in 1984 when artist Kent Vanderplas discovered several boxes with nearly 2,000 negatives near Athens, Ohio. Due to poor storage conditions, the negatives glued themselves together which caused the deterioration around the edges that has unintentionally framed the faces in an artistic manner.

Fine art highlights from our permanent collection include sculptures by Popeye Reed, William Harper, and Anna Hyatt Huntington; works by John Carlson, Ralph Albert Blakelock, and Viktor Schreckengost.

What the Tide Brought In will examine the history of shell-collecting, displaying shells and specimens from the Museum's permanent collection. Many of the seashells were collected by Massillonian Ella O. Shoemaker, a local champion of women's voting rights and education. The exhibit will also highlight the shells' history in the Museum—they were popular with visitors in the Museum's early days and occupied a dedicated room in its previous location.  

Inspired by a scrapbook recently added to the Museum's collection, Adventures in Weather will give an in-depth look at the science and profession of weather by offering a glimpse inside the Akron-Canton Airport's former National Weather Bureau office. In addition, memorable local weather events and weather-related artifacts will be on display.

Innovators of Massillon is a permanent, interactive exhibit featuring individuals whose contributions in a variety of fields have impacted the Massillon community and resonated beyond.