ward museum of wildfowl art

I once took my Texas uncle to the Ward, without telling him that it was one of the world's foremost bird, hunting and fishing museums. He thought it was an art gallery, you know, Picasso, But when he walked in and heard the soundtrack, geese in their semi-annual migration, he was spellbound. You don't have to be a decoy collector or a birder to appreciate the Ward.

I thought this was going to be a museum of duck decoys, which would have been interesting. But in addition, there are gorgeous paintings, photos, sculptures, etc. Plan to spend at least a couple hours to experience an unique place!

Very well done museum with a lot of decoys. Excellent exhibits by geographic area so you can see the differences in carving from various parts of the country. This was my third decoy museum and the most comprehensive.

A marvel of artistry imitating nature. The displays are fascinating, and are arranged by galleries in methodical and instructional groupings. The docents were informative and carver Al's live presentation of the stages of wood carving was personable and enlightening. The Ward Museum features examples of astonishingly realistic and award-winning wildfowl models. Some of the models qualify as true art in their own right and deserve recognition. This museum beautifully addresses this area. Don't miss the exceptional "Hawk and Falcon" (1972) by Grainger McKoy! The Ward Museum is well worth a detour if you're anywhere in the area.

Worth the visit, especially if you are into wildlife, especially ducks & duck decoys. The talent in this museum is overwhelming! The Ward brothers were extremely talented men, fortunately, there handy work has been preserved.

Don't drive through Salisbury on your way to somewhere else again without stopping at the Ward Museum! You don't have to be a fan of duck hunting or even bird watching to marvel at the artistry of the super carvings. Took three of my college roommates who took me at my word that they'd find it fascinating. They were not disappointed.

Anyone who visits the Eastern Shore should not miss the Ward Museum. Not only for the wild fowl exhibits but the market hunting history of the area. A way of life that no longer exists.

There is not another museum like the Ward Museum! To see the magnificent wood carvings the artists make is like stepping into a different world. The art of "imitation waterfowl" is unbelievable and the Museum hosts an international world-wide competition every April in Ocean City, Md. Decoy carving is a celebrated art and this history is so well told at the Museum. Lem and Steve Ward were considered the greatest carvers of all and served as an inspiration to numerous others. A replica of their workshop is in the museum.

We stopped in Salisbury overnight only because I saw the museum listed in the AAA book. It sounding interesting and different for us. The museum is very comprehensive and a beautiful video of the Ward brothers history. Also, do not miss all of the short videos on different topics of the Chesapeake Bay. The carvings are great and also the competition winners and their beautiful pieces. People of all ages would enjoy this. Many thanks to the hard working staff and also for placing it in the AAA book since I would not have seen it otherwise.

This museum is a great place for everyone, I have taken my grandchildren and my 90 year old mother. The docents are friendly and knowledgeable.

I lived down the street from this museum for several years. I have been there several times and even attended a wedding in the lobby. I can't even begin to describe how amazing the carvings are in this museum. There are some carvings that look so real that you would not be able to tell the difference between the actual bird and the carving if they were side by side. Every single feather is carved in detail. Simply amazing. Besides the world class carvings, there is a fantastic amount of history to learn here. The exhibits on duck hunting and carving are fantastic. Any hunter would love a visit to this museum. I highly recommend it to anyone who visits the Salisbury area. I believe it is the only must see attraction in Salisbury. This is a world class museum.

As a long time admirer and collector of woodcarving this museum is an absolute pleasure and although there a lot of decoys there also some splendid examples of other bird types. It is a case of the very best coming last as the earlier galleries concentrate mainly on decoys, and I skipped through these fairly quickly to get to the final gallery which has examples of bird carvings of the highest quality. I loved them.

A bit confused as to what this museum is. If you want to see ART (decoy type) of ducks, then go. The lake and park near-by is fun.

It was a great place to see once. I enjoyed the artistic renditions of the water fowl. It was pricy and not a very big place.

Yes, the carved birds are beautiful and amazing, and the ground and building are beautiful too. But what amazed me is the history of how people hunted birds in various ways, using decoy or not. It really shows how far we have come.