Museum’s latest attraction is an outdoor oasis

The Museum of Arts and Sciences on Forsyth Road has been a fixture in Macon for more than a half century. Maconites who remember the museum in its infancy are now adults who take their children and grandchildren to events or to see science and art exhibits that complement their education.

During the years the museum has been in its permanent home, there have been wish lists that seemed farfetched, beyond the scope of a museum located in middle Georgia. Many of those wishes have been fulfilled. The planetarium rivals the best in the nation, the exhibits are as professional as any seen in major museums throughout the country and renowned artists are regular guests in the galleries.

The pecan orchard, concealed from view behind the museum, has had little attention during the years of ambitious expansion of facilities inside the museum. So, it would not be surprising if few people know there is a new addition behind the planetarium — an open pavilion with an expansive view of the orchard.

On Tuesday, April 24, Susan Welsh, executive director of MAS and a member of the Macon Rotary Club, hosted her fellow Rotarians for a spring picnic, the first official event held in the newest addition to the campus. On a balmy afternoon, the pavilion’s first guests could see the facility that will be used daily for educational and recreational programs.

Plans call for two large screened aviaries for live animal presentations and for new walkways that will provide paths for exploring the orchard and to connect the main facility to an outdoor stage, with tiered seating, and to new animal habitats. According to Welsh, these additions are part of the extensive ground improvement projects she has had planned for a long time.

The pavilion, which will comfortably seat 150 people, was designed by the Dunwody Beeland architectural firm and built by Piedmont Construction. The pavilion cannot be seen from the entrance or from the parking lot, but is a shaded oasis in the hustle and bustle of Forsyth Road that offers one more reason to join the museum.

Joan Stockstill Godsey honored by family

Joan Godsey’s love of music is reflected by her accomplishments as a musician and as a benefactor for programs at the Center for Keyboard Studies at Mercer University’s Townsend School of Music, which is named in her honor. She has been a member of First Baptist Church of Christ in Macon since moving to Macon more than 40 years ago with her husband, Kirby Godsey, former president of Mercer, and her family.

On Sunday, April 29, the A. E. Schlueter pipe organ, a gift from her children, was dedicated at the church to honor Godsey during a concert of choral and organ music. In addition to the church’s organist, Anne Armstrong, Jonathan Poe from Christ Episcopal Church and Gerald Carper from Highland Hills Baptist Church played a versatile selection of contemporary and classical music on the new organ.

Scott Dickison, pastor of First Baptist Church of Christ, acknowledged the many contributions to the church by Godsey’s family before introducing minister of music, Stanley Roberts, who led the Litany of Dedication and conducted the choir’s performance, which included “Requiem, Opus 9,” by the late composer Maurice Durufle, sung in its original Latin.

Before the performances, Godsey paid tribute to her husband and children, all of whom attended the dedication: Hunter Godsey, younger son and a member of the same church, and his partner, Jonathan Simpson; Raleigh Godsey and his wife Judy; Erica Godsey Daniell and her husband Neil, and Stephanie Godsey Shepherd and her husband George.

Following the service, a reception in the Fellowship Hall gave guests an opportunity to see the handiwork of two church members, Kerri Thompson and Tracy Bryant, who were responsible for the cakes, one decorated as the organ and pipes and another as a book cover for the church. Among fellow musicians who attended the dedication service were organists Susan McDuffie and Dennis McLeary, percussionist Steve Moretti and pianist Edward Eikner.

This story was originally published May 1, 2018 at 6:14 PM with the headline "Museum’s latest attraction is an outdoor oasis."