This morning, the Westport Museum for History & Culture sent out an urgent email.
The Myrtle Avenue institution must raise $750,000 by January “to keep the Museum open and operating in its current form.”
The media alert says, “Despite a significant institutional transformation, national and regional recognition, and years of cost-cutting — including reduced public hours and staff — the Museum has exhausted the resources available to sustain current operations.
“Without significant community support, the Museum’s Board is exploring options including the sale of the historic Bradley Wheeler House, relocation of collections and archives, and transition to a smaller research-focused organization with substantially reduced exhibitions and public programming.”
Six years ago, under new leadership, the Westport Historical Society was renamed and rebranded as the Westport Museum for History & Culture.
The move was controversial, and unleashed a torrent of criticism that had bubbled under the surface. Complaints included the dismissal by email of a longtime employee; elimination of “period rooms”; the sale or destruction of donated pieces and costumes; the closing of the gift shop (it reopened later, with a different focus); the pushing aside of a large number of board members, volunteers and large donors; the removal of the Sheffer Gallery name, and the introduction of fees to access archives and files. (Click here for a January 2020 story on the controversy. Click here for a previous story.)
The Museum for History & Culture pivoted to more of a regional focus. Greater emphasis was placed on the stories of overlooked local history and marginalized groups, with exhibits and other programming. It looked for new sources of funding, and reached out to new and younger residents for support.
In this morning’s alert, officials say, “The Museum has preserved and restored its unique 1846 seven-sided Cobblestone Barn, renovated its grounds, modernized collections and archival management, expanded educational programming, and provided internships and training opportunities to hundreds of young people.
Joanne Woodward, at the octagonal barn. She and her husband Paul Newman were longtime supporters of the Westport Historical Society.
“At a time when the teaching and interpretation of American history are increasingly contested, Museum leaders say independent institutions committed to primary sources, scholarship and telling the whole story are more important than ever.”
Executive director Ramin Ganeshram adds, “We have taken this institution as far as determination, ingenuity and austerity can take it. Now Westport has to decide whether it wants to keep it.”
(NOTE: The “media alert” was forwarded to “06880” by a reader. Despite repeated requests, the Museum for History & Culture has not included this blog on its media distribution list.)
Just now realizing they are $750k in the hole with 2 months notice? How are they tracking their money if this is all of the sudden an emergency without any noted increased costs. Maybe instead of giving them another $750k, they should turn it over to a more fiscally responsible organization that doesn’t fund themselves via panic.
The Museum made many admirable and truly impressive improvements in recent years. It’s just a shame that it alienated so many along the way. For what it’s worth, Town Hall is right next door – and it’s short on space. Perhaps a remedy which saves the Museum is in plain sight. But there absolutely needs to be fresh leadership.
Strange. Why wouldn’t they add 06880 to their media distribution list?
While most non profits have to struggle to meet budget……… They were fiscally sound when Susan Gold was exec Director and it was named WHS…
Some time ago, but after its WHS -> WMHC transition, I went in there attempting to research some historical documents, but was told doing so required a membership. Placing history behind a paywall seems wrong.