ALBANY — “My husband and I are appalled by what is, or isn’t, happening at the State Museum!”
So began one of the many emails I received after Thursday’s column, which lamented the decline of one of the region’s top institutions and wondered about the dramatic transformation we were promised back in 2015. That $14 million renewal, we were told then, was set to remake the museum into “a much more interactive experience, with video projections, computer-generated effects, sound recordings and user-friendly displays.”
What happened?
Cue the crickets.
The good news is that, judging by my inbox, the State Museum remains important to many of you and concern about its deterioration is widespread, including, unsurprisingly, among its employees. I heard from several who shared insider viewpoints while lamenting the malaise at their “neglected gem.” Other readers noted that the museum’s gift shop has closed, in addition to, as I initially mentioned, the eatery, carousel and several popular exhibitions.
The not-so-good news is that I still don’t have solid answers for why that planned renovation didn’t happen.
A spokesman for the state Department of Education, which operates the State Museum, only said that “the museum is in the middle of a multi-phase renewal process” and said the long-planned “$14 million project warrants a thoughtful approach to ensure it is the success we all believe it can be.”
Hey, I’m all in favor of thoughtful approaches. But in 2015, we were told that an ambitious and exciting renovation master plan was done, that it would add 35,000 square feet of exhibition space and, with funding in place, it would be completed within four years. Why hasn’t even a hint of progress been made? How much more navel-gazing does this “thoughtful approach” require?
The spokesman, JP O’Hare, added that some planning was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. “More…
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