THE Buxton/Friendship Museum Archives and Culture Centre, on Saturday, celebrated its first anniversary. The museum which is located at 35 Buxton Middle Street, Buxton Village, East Coast Demerara, is the home of many of Buxton’s historical artifacts.

The museum’s founder, Keith Easton, spoke at the simple ceremony saying that his main aim behind the creation of the museum was to pass down history.

He stated that he wanted to make sure the youths have an understanding of where they came from, and that they should be able to use the history as a guide for them as they navigate throughout life both in the present as well as in the future.

The president of the museum, Ronald Willabus, stated that the museum for African artifacts is growing far past the expectations anyone had. He further stated that although the museum is just one year old, it has hosted over 200 registered visitors and as well as an undisclosed amount of unregistered visitors. Willabus believes the museum will only see greater success, and states that the members of the board of directors are poised to ensure that every six months, new artifacts and historical pieces will be added.

The founder of the museum, Keith Easton, also launched a youth group which works along with the board of directors and staff of the museum. Easton said the group was created with the intention of changing the lives of the youth through fostering leadership skills and exploring, developing and utilising their skills and talents.

The group was launched and used as a way to ensure the passing of the baton. The youths within the group are currently being groomed to take over from the current board members in an effort to ensure that history is preserved and passed down from generation to generation.

Member of the board, Deon Abrams, stated that he was happy that he museum was launched because there was a disconnect in the preservation of historically significant occurrences and artifacts.

“We have lost a lot, but I’m happy that today we have this museum that is trying to preserve and recollect history so that the children, who come in the future, can be edified and be inspired by what we would have done in the past,” were the sentiments expressed by Abrams. Abrams made a donation of a picture of the Founder of the Negro Progress Convention & Buxton Scholarship, the late Hon. E.F. Fredericks.