Springfield Museums Corporation

EO14042 SPRINGFIELD SCIENCE MUSEUM UPGRADES

THE NEW MUSEUM OF SPRINGFIELD HISTORY

PURPOSE:BIOMES AROUND THE WORLD PROJECT IS THE REFRESHED VISION FOR SPRINGFIELD SCIENCE MUSEUM'S LIVE ANIMAL CENTER. THROUGH UPDATED EQUIPMENT AND GRAPHICS, THE SPACE WILL BE TRANSFORMED TO TELL A COHESIVE STORY, BOTH LOCAL AND GLOBAL, AND WILL EXCITE VISITORS WITH LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES ABOUT LIFE-SCIENCE. THIS FUNDING WILL ADDRESS THE MUSEUMS' NEED TO UPDATE THE SIX LARGEST AND OLDEST TANKS, THEREBY ALLOWING THE FISH AND AMPHIBIANS WITHIN TO BETTER EXHIBIT THEIR NATURAL BEHAVIORS. DOING SO WILL INCREASE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AT THE MUSEUMS, OF WHICH THE ANIMAL-BASED PROGRAMS ARE AMONG THE MOST POPULAR WITH THEIR VISITORS AND SCHOOLS.ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED:THIS PROJECT WILL INCLUDE THE DESIGN, PURCHASE, AND INSTALLATION OF 6 NEW TANKS AND CORRESPONDING LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEMS (LSS) ACROSS 6 MAIN EXHIBIT AREAS. FOUR TYPES OF LSS'S WILL BE NEEDED: LSS-1 WILL BE FOR COLD SALTWATER, LSS-2 WILL SUPPORT COLD FRESHWATER, LSS-3 WILL SUPPORT TROPICAL FRESHWATER, AND LSS-4 WILL SUPPORT TROPICAL SALTWATER. EACH LSS WILL HAVE BIOLOGICAL, MECHANICAL, AND CHEMICAL FILTRATION, AS WELL AS ULTRAVIOLET STERILIZATION, AND OVERHEAD LIGHTING. A FOAM FRACTIONATOR (PROTEIN SKIMMER) WILL ALSO BE INCLUDED ON ALL SALTWATER AQUARIUMS. TANKS WILL HAVE HEATERS OR CHILLERS DEPENDING ON THE WATER TEMPERATURE. EACH LIVE ANIMAL EXHIBIT WILL INCLUDE STANDS AND WORK PLATFORMS, INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL EXHIBIT THEMING, EXTERNAL LIGHTING, TEXT AND INTERPRETIVE GRAPHICS. THE SPRINGFIELD MUSEUMS WILL WORK IN-HOUSE AND WITH VENDORS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF MULTILINGUAL EXHIBIT LABELS, GRAPHICS, PLAQUES, AND PROGRAMMING SPACES THAT SUPPORT THE NEWLY RENOVATED LIVE ANIMAL CENTER.EXPECTED OUTCOMES:AN IMPROVED LIVE ANIMAL CENTER WILL ALLOW MUSEUM EDUCATORS TO INCORPORATE MULTISENSORY RESOURCES IN EACH OF OUR SCIENCE FIELD TRIPS. THESE IMPROVEMENTS WILL EXPAND SERVICE DELIVERY TO THE MUSEUM'S GROWING AND DIVERSE PARTNERS INCLUDING ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORT LEARNERS WITH DISABILITIES, ESL LEARNERS, LOCAL EDUCATORS, AND STEM EDUCATIONAL NETWORKS. THE APPLICANT EXPECT THIS PROJECT WILL INCREASE PARTICIPATION AND STEM LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR VISITING STUDENTS, SERVE AS AN ACCESSIBLE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE TO THE REGION, AND INCREASE SPRINGFIELD SCIENCE MUSEUM VISITATION. IMPORTANTLY, THIS PROJECT WILL DIRECTLY ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE 44 SPECIES OF ANIMALS CURRENTLY CARED FOR BY SPRINGFIELD MUSEUMS.INTENDED BENEFICIARIES:THE SPRINGFIELD SCIENCE MUSEUM IS A FREE RESOURCE TO ALL OF SPRINGFIELD RESIDENTS. AS A SIGNIFICANT EDUCATIONAL PARTNER TO SCHOOLS, THE MUSEUM IS COMMITTED TO EQUITABLE ACCESS WITH MULTILINGUAL AND UNIVERSALLY DESIGNED PROGRAMS. THE APPLICANT NOTES THAT STEM FIELD TRIPS ARE THE MOST REQUESTED BY EDUCATORS. ACCORDING TO THE ACT'S "CONDITION OF STEM" REPORT, ONLY 21% OF SPRINGFIELD HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE ACADEMICALLY READY FOR COLLEGE COURSES IN A STEM MAJOR. 77.1% OF SPRINGFIELD STUDENTS ARE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED COMPARED WITH 32% ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH. SPRINGFIELD'S STUDENT POPULATION IS 67% LATINO AND 19% AFRICAN AMERICAN. THE MUSEUM IS AN ESSENTIAL GATEWAY FOR SPRINGFIELD STUDENTS TO GAIN ACCESS TO STEM LEARNING AND FUTURE CAREERS IN A FIELD THAT HISTORICALLY LACKS WOMEN AND PEOPLE OF COLOR.SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES:NO SUBAWARDS WITH THIS APPLICATION.

IMPROVING CLIMATE CONTROL TO PRESERVE COLLECTIONS OF THE GEORGE WALTER VINCENT SMITH ART MUSEUM

THE SPRINGFIELD SCIENCE MUSEUM WILL CREATE A NEW PERMANENT EXHIBIT ABOUT ARCHOSAURS, THE ANIMAL GROUP FROM WHICH DINOSAURS EVOLVED, AND THE PREHISTORIC HISTORY OF THE LOCAL REGION. MUSEUM STAFF WILL CONTRACT WITH AN EXHIBIT DESIGNER AND FABRICATOR TO PRODUCE AN EXHIBITION WITH HANDS-ON STEM (SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATH) LEARNING EXPERIENCES AND TEXT IN BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH. THE EXHIBIT WILL INCLUDE OBJECTS FROM THE MUSEUM’S PERMANENT COLLECTION TO FURTHER CONTEXTUALIZE EVOLUTIONARY SUBJECT MATTER. BENEFICIARIES OF THE PROJECT WILL INCLUDE STUDENTS AND SCHOOL GROUPS AS WELL AS VISITORS ENGAGING IN INFORMAL SCIENCE LEARNING.

MUSEUMS FOR AMERICA

A GLIMPSE INTO THE GILDED AGE: DISCOVERING THE ARCHIVES OF THE GEORGE WALTER VINCENT SMITH ART MUSEUM

CONSERVATION PROGRAM

RETELLING THE FIRST PEOPLES' STORIES [WORKING WITH NATIVE AMERICAN CONSULTANTS, THE SPRINGFIELD MUSEUMS WILL CREATE A MORE INCLUSIVE, ACCURATE, AND NONBIASED INTERPRETATION OF OUR NATIVE AMERICAN COLLECTION TO MAKE THEIR STORIES A POINT OF PRIDE, WONDER, AND INSPIRATION FOR ALL AUDIENCES.] [PURPOSE: THE GRANT WILL BE USED TO UPDATE THE DEPICTION OF THE HISTORY OF THE NATIVE AMERICAN PEOPLE AT THE SPRINGFIELD MUSEUM, WHICH OVERSEES FIVE INTERDISCIPLINARY MUSEUMS IN THE SPRINGFIELD, MA, AREA; RETAINING FIVE JOBS AND CREATING SIX NEW CONTRACT POSITIONS. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: THE MUSEUM WILL UPDATE ITS NATIVE AMERICAN HALL WITH THE HELP OF THE PARTNERSHIP IT FORGED WITH A COUNCIL OF NATIVE AMERICAN PEOPLES, PARTICULARLY THOSE REPRESENTING LOCAL TRIBES OF POCUMTUC, AGAWAM, NIPMUC, AND NONOTUCK AND OTHER EASTERN ALGONQUIAN PEOPLES. THE MUSEUM WILL USE A MORE POSITIVE LANGUAGE TO DESCRIBE THE INNOVATIONS THAT ALLOWED THE FIRST PEOPLES TO THRIVE IN THE CONNECTICUT RIVER VALLEY, AND THE RESILIENCE THAT HELPED THEM SURVIVE EVEN AFTER EUROPEAN SETTLERS ARRIVED. THE MUSEUM WILL INCORPORATE A CLEARER AND UNBIASED HISTORY OF COLONIZATION AND FORCED DISPERSAL OF THE INDIGENOUS POPULATION. THE MUSEUM WILL CELEBRATE THE CURRENT POPULATION OF NATIVE PEOPLES THROUGHOUT THE CONNECTICUT RIVER VALLEY, EXPLORE THEIR CULTURE THROUGH CRAFTS, ARTS, RELIGIONS, STORYTELLING, AND LIFE-WAYS. THE MUSEUM WILL ADD A NATIVE AMERICAN LED AND INFORMED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMING TO ITS SCHEDULE. THE MUSEUM WILL ADOPT A MORE INCLUSIVE, ACCURATE, AND NON-BIASED INTERPRETATION OF ITS NATIVE AMERICAN COLLECTION AS A POINT OF PRIDE, WONDER, AND INSPIRATION FOR ALL AUDIENCES. EXPECTED OUTCOMES: A MORE HONORABLE, DIVERSE AND EQUAL REPRESENTATION OF THE INDIGENOUS POPULATION OF THE AREA WILL ADVOCATE A BETTER INFORMED AUDIENCE AND PUBLIC HUMANITIES SCHOLARSHIP IS THE MAIN EXPECTED OUTCOME. MUSEUM WILL BECOME A BETTER HOST OF THE ARTIFACTS IT HOLDS IN ITS COLLECTION AND RENEW ITS MISSION. INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES OF THE GRANT ARE THE GENERAL PUBLIC, HUMANITIES SCHOLARS AND ENTHUSIASTS, PUBLIC HUMANITIES SPECIALISTS, AND THE MUSEUM STAFF IN PARTICULAR. SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES: THE RECIPIENT DOES NOT INTEND TO SUBAWARD FUNDS.]

MUSEUMS FOR AMERICA

THE SPRINGFIELD SCIENCE MUSEUM WILL INCREASE PARTICIPATION IN INFORMAL SCIENCE LEARNING BY MAKING ITS EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND LEARNING SPACES MORE ACCESSIBLE AND INCLUSIVE. MUSEUM STAFF WILL UNDERGO DISABILITY INCLUSION AND UNIVERSAL DESIGN TRAINING TO REDESIGN AND ENHANCE A CORE MULTI-USE LEARNING SPACE AND PRINCIPLE STEM PROGRAM THAT CAN REMOVE PHYSICAL, COGNITIVE, AND SOCIAL BARRIERS TO LEARNING. EXTERNAL EVALUATORS WILL MEASURE ACCESS NEEDS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES BEFORE AND AFTER PROJECT UPGRADES IN ORDER TO TRACK PROGRESS AND DEVELOP A SCALABLE MODEL OF INCLUSIVE PRACTICE FOR ALL THE MUSEUM?S SCIENCE PROGRAMMING. THE RESULT WILL BE AN IMPROVED EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE FOR VISITORS OF ALL AGES, ABILITIES, AND BACKGROUNDS.

TO SUPPORT A SERIES OF PUBLIC ART INSTALLATIONS IN A NEWLY RESTORED PARK IN SPRINGFIELD MASSACHUSETTS.

TO SUPPORT THE TOURING EXHIBITION THE LEGACY OF CURRIER AND IVES: SHAPING THE AMERICAN SPIRIT, WITH ACCOMPANYING CATALOGUE.

REINTERPRETING A LATE 19TH-CENTURY COLLECTION FOR NEW AUDIENCES AND A NEW CENTURY

PURPOSE: TO SUPPORT AN EXHIBITION FEATURING WORKS BY ARTIST NELSON STEVENS.