Nomination Title:
Renovation of GCV&M’s John L. Wehle Gallery
Nomination Category:
Innovation in Collection Access
Project Manager/Contact Person:
Peter S. Arnold
Title/Affiliation:
President and CEO
Organization:
Genesee Country Museum (GCV&M)
Address:
1410 Flint Hill Road
PO Box 310
Mumford, NY 14511
Phone:
585-538-6822
Email:
parnold@gcv.org
Project or Achievement:
GCV&M completed a gallery renovation which is nothing short of transformational
for the museum. The objective: state-of-the-art, museum-quality storage for the
museum’s most significant and vulnerable collections and renovation of the John L
Wehle Gallery into a modern, secure, and super energy-efficient facility.
Without a central storage area, the museum had been forced to store village
collections in the unheated back rooms and upper floors of its historic structures.
Besides hindering good collections care. The lack of an acceptable storage area also
prevented the museum from interpreting these areas—part of its long-range
strategic plan. If the museum was going to fulfill its mission, care for its collections,
refine them through acquisition and move forward with its strategic plan, then
something had to be done.
That something involved taking a second look at the gallery, its spaces and potential
to serve the museum in a new capacity. Two of the west wing galleries had long
been problematic from a curatorial point of view. On the other hand, if equipped
with a mobile, high-density storage system from Montel, these two spaces could
function as storage rooms that could safely house the museum’s most significant
collections. The prospect of a properly conditioned storage space also enabled the
museum to responsibly acquire the outstanding Greene costume collection—
something it could not have done otherwise.
While this plan reduced the gallery exhibition space by approximately 3,000 square
feet, 5,000 square feet of excellent exhibition space remained in the east wing, with
five interconnected galleries offering clear sight lines and good traffic flow. Two of
the five galleries house an open-storage system which offers the public an exciting
interactive experience with the Greene collection. Also in those galleries is a
computer station which allows public access to GCV&M’s collection database for
information and research.
Key to the renovations was the replacement of the 30 year old boiler with a cuttingedge HVAC system based on geo-thermal technology—which constantly maintains
proper control levels though a computerized monitoring/tracking system—and
improving building insulation including super-insulation of the storage rooms.
Additionally, in collaboration with the Getty Institute, seven watt LED lighting was
introduced to all gallery spaces. Both measures significantly lower the museum’s
operational costs.
The resulting renovation, funded through major grants from the National
Endowment for the Humanities, the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences, and
the New York State Council for the Arts, as well as support from area private
foundations and individuals, has been nothing less than the revitalization of the
museum whose strategic interpretive plan and collection activities have long been
thwarted by the complete lack of acceptable storage conditions. Spaces once used
for storage are free for interpretive programming. Exhibitions, loans, and
acquisitions—once blocked—are now possible.
We know have the most efficient collections storage facility possible in the most
sustainable environment. The GCV&M project was built on previous NEH projects,
expanding them in a different direction and using natural forces to minimize utility
costs. While experimental in nature, we are confident from other studies that this
approach will not only be successful for GCV&M, but will serve as a model for other
cultural institutions. At the request of the National Endowment for the Humanities,
we will report our findings in a white paper detailing the methods and results of this
project for the benefit of the larger museum community.
Short Project or Achievement:
GCV&M completed a gallery renovation which is nothing short of transformational
for the museum. The objective: state-of-the-art, museum-quality storage for the
museum’s most significant and vulnerable collections and renovation of the John L
Wehle Gallery into a modern, secure, and super energy-efficient facility.
Nominator Information
Define Relationship between themselves and Nominee:
employee
Name:
Susan Duffin
Title/Affiliation:
Director od Development
Address:
1410 Flint Hill Road
PO Box 310
Mumford, NY 14511
Phone:
585-538-6822
Email:
sduffin@gcv.org
Organization Information
Nominated institution’s Mission Statement:
To inspire excitement and curiosity about the past and an appreciation for its
relevance today. Visitors experience how life in small towns has changed over time
through engaging and enjoyable encounters with the stories, objects, buildings, and
environments of western New York.
Brief description of Organization:
Genesee Country Village and Museum is a living history museum, chartered by the
New York State Board of Regents to educate the public. The Museum is dedicated to
preserving the historical, cultural and architectural heritage of the Genesee Valley
Region in New York State. Genesee Country Village and Museum was founded by Mr.
John L. Wehle, owner of the Genesee Brewing Company, and was opened to the
public on July 4, 1976.
The 700-acre campus is comprised of three parts: the Historic Village, the John L.
Wehle Gallery and the Nature Center.
The Historic Village is made up of 68 historic structures (homes, businesses, shops)
representing the various architectural styles of 19th century America common in
upstate New York. The structures were moved from their original sites in 13
surrounding counties. The Village interprets life in 19th century using a collection of
15,000 artifacts, costumed interpreters and artisans. The buildings are fully
furnished, each representing a specific time period, and include outbuildings, period
gardens, livestock, crops, wagons and carriages.
The John L. Wehle Gallery exhibits a nationally renowned collection of hunting and
sporting art of the 18th and 19th Centuries. The art collection is recognized as one
of the most outstanding and comprehensive collections of its kind in the United
States. The Gallery also houses the Susan W. Greene Collection of historic clothing.
The Nature Center includes 175 acres of wildlife preserve, a nature center building
with instructional space, and 5½ miles of interpreted hiking trails.
Annual Budget:
2,900,000
Number of Paid Staff (full time/part time):
22/152
Website:
www.gcv.org
Number of Volunteers/Unpaid Staff:
570