Adirondack Historical Association

RENOVATION OF 5,800 SQUARE FEET OF GALLERY SPACE TO MEET CONTEMPORARY MUSEUM STANDARDS. [THE ADIRONDACK HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION PROPOSES TO RENOVATE THE OLDEST GALLERY BUILDING ON ITS CAMPUS TO SERVE AS A NEW PERMANENT HOME FOR ITS OUTSTANDING FINE AND DECORATIVE ARTS COLLECTIONS. A CENTRAL PREMISE OF THE EXHIBITION THAT WILL BE INSTALLED IN THE SPACE IS THAT 19TH-CENTURY DEPICTIONS OF THE ADIRONDACKS NOT ONLY INTRODUCED THE REGION TO AMERICANS BUT HELPED SHAPE THEIR NOTIONS OF WILDERNESS AND NATIONAL IDENTITY. AS NOTED BY ENVIRONMENTALIST BILL MCKIBBEN, THESE IMAGES INCLUDED WHAT WERE IN ALL PROBABILITY THE FIRST PHOTOGRAPHS THAT EXPOSED AMERICANS TO THE DESTRUCTION OF OUR FORESTS. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROJECT REPRESENTS THE TOP INSTITUTIONAL PRIORITY IN THE MUSEUM?S CURRENT LONG-TERM PLAN. IT WILL ALSO FULFILL RECOMMENDATIONS FROM FOUR KEY PLANNING DOCUMENTS THAT HAVE INFORMED THE PLAN: AN EXHIBITION MASTER PLAN AND A LONG-RANGE PRESERVATION PLAN, BOTH COMPLETED IN 2014; A 2015 CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM ASSESSMENT; AND A 2018 FACILITIES MASTER PLAN.]

ENHANCED ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS FOR HUMANITIES EXHIBITIONS

THE ADIRONDACK EXPERIENCE WILL PRODUCE A NEW EXHIBITION, ARTISTS & INSPIRATION IN THE WILD, FEATURING ITS COLLECTIONS OF FINE AND DECORATIVE ART FROM THE EARLY 1800S THROUGH THE PRESENT EXEMPLIFYING THE “ADIRONDACK STYLE.” THE EXHIBITION WILL OFFER VISITORS A NON-TRADITIONAL, ENGAGING, AND SOMETIMES WHIMSICAL EXPERIENCE, INVITING THEM TO CONNECT THE VISUAL ARTS WITH THE NATURAL FEATURES OF THE SURROUNDING LANDSCAPE. THE PROJECT WILL PRESENT WORKS THROUGH AN EQUITABLE LENS BY PRIORITIZING WOMEN ARTISTS AND PEOPLE OF COLOR AND SHOWCASING BOTH TRADITIONAL ART AND FUNCTIONAL OBJECTS INSPIRED BY THE SAME LANDSCAPE. PROJECT ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE MEDIA PRODUCTION AND USER TESTING, PRODUCTION AND INSTALLATION OF THE EXHIBIT, AND MAKERSPACE PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND TESTING. A SUMMATIVE EVALUATION PROCESS WILL INFORM INTERPRETATION AND PROGRAMMATIC REVISIONS AND THE PROJECT WILL PROVIDE NEW INSIGHTS ABOUT APPLYING INTERDISCIPLINARY, NON-TRADITIONAL, CULTURALLY DIVERSE, AND EQUITABLE INTERPRETIVE STRATEGIES TO FUTURE EXHIBITIONS.

THE ADIRONDACK EXPERIENCE (ADKX) WILL CONDUCT RESEARCH AND PLAN FOR AN INTERPRETIVE EXHIBITION THAT WILL SERVE AS A COMPREHENSIVE SHOWING OF THE MUSEUM?S FINE AND DECORATIVE ART COLLECTIONS THROUGH ITS PROJECT, ?DESIGNING ADIRONDACK CREATIVITY, A NEW PERMANENT EXHIBITION AT ADKX.? PLANNED UPGRADES INCLUDE APPROPRIATE CLIMATE CONTROLS AND GALLERY SPACES FOR THE COLLECTION. ?ADIRONDACK CREATIVITY? WILL INCLUDE MASTERPIECES FROM THE MUSEUM?S PAINTING, DECORATIVE ARTS, FURNITURE, PRINT, DRAWING, AND PHOTOGRAPH COLLECTIONS PLACED IN THE CONTEXT OF THE LANDSCAPE THAT INSPIRED THEIR CREATION. ?ADIRONDACK CREATIVITY? WILL SHOWCASE THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE LANDSCAPE AND THE COLLECTION, CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT IN THE EXHIBITION, AND FEATURE A RARELY SEEN BODY OF WORK.

THE ADIRONDACK EXPERIENCE (ADKX) AND THE WILD CENTER (TWC), HISTORY AND NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUMS, RESPECTIVELY, ARE JOINING FORCES IN A CAPACITY BUILDING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECT TO BETTER UNDERSTAND AND ADDRESS THE BROAD NEEDS, INTERESTS, AND EXPECTATIONS OF DIVERSE POPULATIONS THAT ARE UNDERREPRESENTED IN THEIR AUDIENCES AND STAFFS. THE TWO MUSEUMS, WORKING CLOSELY WITH A TEAM OF CONSULTANTS AND DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION PROJECT ADVISORS, WILL UNDERTAKE A COORDINATED SET OF ACTIVITIES TO ADDRESS THE SYSTEMIC ISSUES THAT CURRENTLY HINDER GREATER INCLUSION OF UNDERREPRESENTED AUDIENCES IN ALL ASPECTS OF INSTITUTIONAL LIFE. THE PRIMARY BENEFICIARIES OF THIS PROJECT WILL BE ADKX AND TWC PERMANENT AND SEASONAL STAFF WHO WILL COME TO UNDERSTAND HOW THEY CAN IMPROVE PRACTICES SO THAT PERSONS FROM UNDERREPRESENTED POPULATIONS, BE THEY STAFF, INTERNS, OR VISITORS, WILL HAVE MORE POSITIVE, WELCOMING EXPERIENCES IN WHICH THEIR VIEWS AND PERSPECTIVES ARE RESPECTED.

THE ADIRONDACK MUSEUM WILL INTRODUCE A NEW AND COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING PROGRAM TO STRENGTHEN STAFF INTERPRETIVE SKILLS AND ENHANCE VISITOR ENGAGEMENT. THE PROJECT WILL BUILD ON THE MUSEUM'S SHIFT TOWARDS A MORE IMMERSIVE APPROACH TO LEARNING BY INCLUDING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING IN COACHING FOR YEAR-ROUND PROGRAM MANAGERS, AND NEW ONBOARDING AND TRAINING FOR THE MUSEUM'S SEASONAL STAFF OF INTERPRETERS. THE PROJECT IS INTENDED TO SERVE AS A MODEL FOR MUSEUMS THAT EMPLOY SEASONAL STAFF AND THAT SEEK TO INCORPORATE ACTIVE LEARNING FOR ALL AGES IN EXHIBITION AND OTHER SETTINGS. PROJECT EVALUATION WILL INCLUDE A ""REFLECTIVE PRACTICE"" PROCESS OF EVALUATION FOR THE INTERPRETERS, ALONG WITH ONGOING PROGRAM REFINEMENTS AND COACHING OVER TWO SEASONS TO ENABLE STAFF TO DEEPEN VISITOR ENGAGEMENT. ADDITIONAL EVALUATION WILL ASSESS VISITOR EXPERIENCES WITH THE NEWLY TRAINED STAFF.

MUSEUMS FOR AMERICA

MUSEUMS FOR AMERICA

THE ADIRONDACK EXPERIENCE WILL ENGAGE WITH A PROFESSIONAL FIRM TO CONSERVE 139 DRAWINGS IDENTIFIED TO BE IN URGENT NEED OF TREATMENT FOLLOWING A SURVEY OF ITS DRAWING COLLECTION. THIS PROJECT WILL BUILD UPON PREVIOUS IMLS-FUNDED PROJECTS INVOLVING TREATMENT OF THE OILS ON CANVAS, WATERCOLORS, AND ARTISTS' SKETCHBOOKS. GENERAL TREATMENT FOR MOST DRAWINGS WILL INCLUDE BOTH DRY AND AQUEOUS SURFACE CLEANING, HUMIDIFYING, AND PRESSING, WHILE SOME OTHERS WILL REQUIRE MORE INVOLVED TREATMENTS SUCH AS REMOVING SUPPORTS, MENDING TEARS, AND STABILIZING IRON GALL INK. THE CONSERVATION TREATMENTS WILL BE DOCUMENTED IN DETAILED REPORTS INCLUDING BEFORE AND AFTER PHOTOS; CONDITIONS ADDRESSED DURING TREATMENT; THE METHODS USED, AND HIGH-RESOLUTION IMAGES. AS A RESULT, PUBLIC ACCESS TO THE COLLECTION WILL BE EXPANDED BY STABILIZING AND TREATING THE OBJECTS SO THAT THEY CAN BE SAFELY ROTATED IN EXHIBITIONS.

"THE ADIRONDACK MUSEUM WILL ADDRESS THE HIGHEST PRIORITY IN ITS LONG RANGE CONSERVATION PLAN BY PROVIDING CONSERVATION TREATMENT FOR 179 RARE WATERCOLORS AND ARTISTS' SKETCHBOOKS FROM ITS COLLECTION OF 3,519 WORKS ON PAPER. THE MUSEUM WILL TRANSPORT THE ITEMS TO AN ART CONSERVATION CENTER WHERE TWO CONSERVATORS WILL EXAMINE AND TREAT THE SELECTED 142 WATERCOLORS AND 37 SKETCHBOOKS CONTAINING 1,075 SKETCHES. CONSERVATION TREATMENT WILL ADDRESS A WIDE ARRAY OF PROBLEMS IDENTIFIED IN PREVIOUSLY PREPARED CONDITION REPORTS INCLUDING CONDITION ISSUES WITH PAPER SUPPORTS; DISCOLORATION, STAINS, AND OTHER CHEMICAL ISSUES; AND MEDIA THAT IS SMUDGED, TRANSFERRED, OR SHOWING LOSSES. A WHITE PAPER COAUTHORED BY MUSEUM STAFF AND THE CONSERVATION CENTER'S CONSERVATORS WILL DOCUMENT THE CONSERVATION PROCESS AND FINDINGS FOR DISSEMINATION TO MUSEUM AND CONSERVATION PROFESSIONALS. THE PROJECT WILL ENABLE THE MUSEUM TO BETTER INCORPORATE THESE WORKS INTO ITS EXHIBITION PROGRAM AND FACILITATE THEIR INCREASED USE FOR MUSEUM LOANS AND SCHOLARLY RESEARCH."

MUSEUMS FOR AMERICA

CONG. SETASIDES, MUSEUMS

THE ADIRONDACK EXPERIENCE (ADKX) IN NEW YORK WILL PARTNER WITH THE ADIRONDACK DIVERSITY INITIATIVE, AKWESASNE CULTURAL CENTER, MOUNTAIN LAKE PBS, THE NATURE CONSERVANCY'S ADIRONDACK CHAPTER, AND THE WILD CENTER TO FACILITATE A SERIES OF FREE VIRTUAL PUBLIC PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT 2022 THAT REEXAMINE THE HISTORY OF ADIRONDACK PARK THROUGH THE LENS OF ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, ESPECIALLY REGIONAL INEQUITIES ESTABLISHED BY POLICIES TO MANAGE LAND AND WATER ACCESS, AS WELL AS CONSERVATION PRINCIPLES. THE COLLABORATIVE WILL FACILITATE A SERIES OF LIVESTREAMED DISCUSSIONS AS A LAUNCHING POINT FOR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND HOST A SYMPOSIUM TO CONVENE INDIGENOUS AND NON-INDIGENOUS HISTORIANS, EDUCATORS, STORYTELLERS, AND SOCIAL SCIENTISTS TO DISCUSS THESE ISSUES. ADKX SEEKS TO ADDRESS THE COMBINED IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND SOCIAL INJUSTICE PROTESTS ON THE REGION THROUGH THESE VIRTUAL PROGRAMS.

MINING IN THE ADIRONDACKS

TO SUPPORT "BLUE MOUNTAIN HOUSE HOTEL," AN EXHIBITION AND SOUND INSTALLATION.