MANY News

Restoration, Digitization, Re-interpretation at Historic Cherry Hill

Located on Albany’s South Pearl Street, Historic Cherry Hill is a 1787 wood-frame structure that was home to five generations of the Van Rensselaer family. Its last resident, Emily Rankin, bequeathed her house and its thousands of artifacts and documents that spanned three centuries to “the people of New York State.” The house opened as a museum in 1964, a year after her death. For the past twelve years the site has undergone an extensive $2 million restoration to preserve the historical structure and is now undertaking a NEH CARES Act grant funded project to digitize and interpret more inclusive stories of underrepresented narratives and perspectives. 

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Are You Still Watching? Corning Museum of Glass and Netflix's Blown Away

The Corning Museum of Glass has been part of a globally popular Netflix series, Blown Away for two seasons. For former Senior Creative Director Rob Cassetti, the show’s popularity is not a surprise. Cassetti originally pitched a live glass blowing demonstration as part of the museum’s public programming thirty years ago and it quickly grew to be one of the museum's most popular experiences. Now the Corning Museum of Glass is part of a prominent glass blowing competition series that features expert glassmakers from the museum. The grand prize package includes a residency in the museum’s Amphitheater Hot Shop. For Cassetti, the show is a culmination of innovative public programming in his career and his efforts to connect people to the world of glass blowing at Corning. Read more

Restore Funding to Zoos and Botanical Gardens

Aaron Bouska, Vice President for Government & Community Relations at The New York Botanical Garden and Secretary Coalition of Living Museums

From the Buffalo Zoo to the Old Westbury Gardens and everywhere in between, the Zoos, Botanical Gardens, and Aquaria (ZBGA) line of New York State’s Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) directly supports essential staff caring for living collections of 95 zoos, botanical gardens, nature centers and aquaria in every corner of NY State. Now in its forty-third year, the ZBGA program is unique to the Empire State and thanks to the State Assembly and Senate, the program has thrived and the benefits to New York residents have multiplied.  Read more

Letter from Erika:

Growing Toward the Future Stronger

Dear MANY Members, Supporters, and Colleagues, I’ve had an awful case of cabin fever for a couple of weeks and I know I’m not alone. The past year has left those of us who have dedicated their work to the museum field tired, isolated, and grieving. 500,000 Americans have died, an estimated 30% of New York’s museum professionals lost their jobs, and our physical and mental health has deteriorated. The vaccine is the hope on the horizon, but I am concerned that in our haste to recover financially, we will lose the opportunity to make the changes necessary to reach our audiences with relevant content whether they are on site or in their living rooms, to deepen our role as essential community partners, and to develop a workforce that reflects all New Yorkers.  Read more

From Fort to Screen

Miranda Peters, VP for Collections & Digital Production, Fort Ticonderoga

Like museums across the country, Fort Ticonderoga prioritized virtual engagement over the past year to remain connected with our stakeholders and audiences throughout the pandemic. Over this time, we launched and expanded the Center for Digital History, and tackled numerous practical, technical, and methodological challenges along the way. Recently, Fort Ticonderoga Museum staff discussed their practical tips and lessons learned creating programs for an online audience, developing a virtual studio, sharing videos on social media, and engaging with educators in a webinar. 

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Member News

DHPSNY Program Approved for Five More Years: Supports and Services to Remain Available to NYS Institutions through 2025

Documentary Heritage and Preservation Services for New York (DHPSNY), a joint program of the New York State Archives and the New York State Library, has secured a five-year contract to continue to deliver support and services to New York State’s cultural collecting institutions. With the program’s extension, over 5,000 organizations that safeguard New York’s historical records are eligible to apply for collections-related assistance and participate in education and training programs, free of cost, through 2025.

“The State Archives and State Library are excited to continue to provide support services, assessment services, and training through our DHPSNY program, ensuring that repositories across the state continue to have access to the tools they need to preserve and make available the essential materials that tell the story of New York and its people,” said State Archivist Tom Ruller.

State Librarian Lauren Moore also emphasized the importance of the program’s extension, adding that it builds on the State’s track record of supporting cultural organizations, “I am pleased that we can continue to offer valued statewide services to our library and archives communities. New York State has always been a national leader in providing preservation services and grants to our cultural communities and their stewards.”

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Museums in the News

North Country museums innovate to outlast the pandemic

Parrish Art Museum Announces New Director

Castellani Art Museum poised for grand comeback in 2021

New Exhibit at Buffalo Museum of Science to Showcase Evolution of the Guitar

7 Historical Sites Integral to Black History in the Hudson Valley

New York State Museum, University at Albany Partner to Bring "First Step to Freedom" Exhibit to Campus for Black History Month

60 Years Strong: Looking Ahead With the American Folk Art Museum

North Country museum seeks new ways to share region's role in the Underground Railroad

February 2021 Newsletter Sponsors