Wilmington’s Cameron Art Museum recently welcomed two new exhibitions, offering visitors reason to return time and time again. What’s more, one of the exhibits involves restoring a significant piece of the Port City’s history to its original grandeur.

Featuring Thalian Hall’s original 19th-century front theater curtain, “Raise the Curtain!” is part presentation, part work-in-progress. Regarding the latter, the exhibit has turned some of the galleries at Cameron Art Museum, 3201 S. 17th St., into two working studios.

“Having the curtain at Cameron Art Museum in the context of working studios informs our visitors of the work of the museum,” museum spokeswoman Kim Kelly said. “[It highlights] the importance of conservation and preservation of our regional assets.”

Not only will the revered piece of the venue’s history undergo a preservation process, local artists will also create a 19-by-32-foot replica of the iconic scene that’s painted on the curtain. The theater curtain dates back to Thalian Hall’s opening performance on Oct. 12, 1858, and provides a unique perspective for museum visitors. 

“Bringing the historic 1858 Thalian Hall curtain to the Cameron Art Museum benefits our museum visitors and theater supporters by giving them the opportunity to see the curtain through the lens of artwork and beyond theater drape,” Kelly said. “The artist William Russell Smith was known for his quality of painting and design.” 

According to the Fine Art Dealers Association’s website (FADA.org), the artist achieved success as a landscape painter, theatrical designer and more. Immigrating to Pennsylvania from Glasgow, Scotland, Smith was a Hudson River School-inspired painter, and he earned commissions painting theatrical scenes and stage curtains across the Eastern United States.

Also new in February, CAM debuted a newly acquired piece to one of its permanent collections.

The added sculpture, according to a statement, is “in the context of seven other works” by rising artist Dustin Farnsworth.

Titled “The Bones of: Sculptures by Dustin Farnsworth,” the collection contains works inspired by 19th-century theater architecture. Of the collection, the artist said, “I create a lush, emotionally-charged rabbit hole to fall into and explore. These sculptures act as anthropological studies of cultural, familial and social heredity of a culture in the interim of post-industry and the coming age.”

“The Bones Of: Sculptures by Dustin Farnsworth” runs through June 5. “Raise the Curtain!” will wrap up on July 10.