 Happy New Year from all of us at the Brick Store Museum! 2010 closed out on high notes with another festive Holiday Tea and strong sales of both our Heritage Ornament and Windows on the Past book. Read on for some additional 2010 highlights. Huge and heartfelt thanks go out to each and every one of you who helped to make our achievements possible--whether by making a charitable contribution, attending a program or exhibit, being a Member, or volunteering your time. Then, scroll even further down to read what's already on the docket for this, our "diamond anniversary" year!
Sincerely,
The Brick Store Museum
207-985-4802 |
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2010: The Year in Review 
What a year! Highlights included...
- welcoming visitors from 42 states and the District of Columbia, plus from 9 foreign countries.
- opening 4 new exhibitions and 2 History Showcases.
- offering more than 30 overall events, exhibitions and activities for multi-generational audiences.
- successfully completing the self-study phase for our re-accreditation through the American Association of Museums.
- publishing Windows on the Past: An Illustrated Guide to Kennebunk's History through Architecture.
- receiving the support of 93 volunteers who gave more than 3,330 hours of their time and expertise. Based upon Independent Sector data for Maine, this amounts to over $54,480!
- launching cell phone-based audio tour capabilities via Guide by Cell®.
- debuting the first installment in an exclusive Brick Store Museum Heritage Ornament series.
- having usage of our website increase by 17%.
- joining the Twitter social media community with two separate feeds about archival collections.
- having more than 24 different media outlets run 180+ stories about the Brick Store Museum.
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Preschool Story Times
 With our Learning is an Ornament exhibition as the backdrop, we are pleased to offer a special story time series for our youngest guests on January 26th and February 2nd at 10AM. Bring your favorite blanket and gather 'round to listen to charming storybooks--each with a school days theme--and then have a chance to explore the exhibition. There'll even be a chance to make a simple craft to take home!
Young readers can take home themed booklists. Free and great fun for caregivers and toddlers, it's the perfect introduction to the Museum! Adult supervision required.
Made possible by the Museum's Education Committee and a grant from the Virginia Hodgkins Somers Foundation.
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February Vacation Workshop: Passport to Discovery
 Kids in grades 4-8 are invited to take an imaginary trip across the globe, following the travels of Edith Cleaves Barry, the Museum's founder. As they "visit" Australia, Turkey, and Mexico, they will hear about Miss Barry's visit, create a representative craft, and learn a bit about each country. While in Australia, they will learn about aboriginal symbols and paint a replica boomerang; they will create mandala window decorations in Turkey; and in Mexico they will make tissue paper flowers. As the students work, snacks representing each country will be available.
The workshop concludes with family members and the general public invited to the Museum from 2:30 to 3PM to view the kids' projects and to tour the Museum's exhibitions. As lasting memories of the day, children take home everything they have created.
Pre-registration is required. Cost is $25/child ($20 for Museum members); family discounts available. To register, download our registration form or call the Museum at 985-4802.
Made possible by the Museum's Education Committee and the Dorothy Fish Fund for Furthering Edith Barry's Legacy. |
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Welcome Aboard!
 With 2011 we are thrilled to have Cynthia Walker as the newest member of the Museum's staff! Cynthia joins us as a Museum Specialist. If she looks familiar, it's because Cynthia's story is a great one: she first interned with us in 2006 while an undergraduate at Northeastern. She rejoined us in 2009 as a Dorothy Fish Intern for Edith Barry Studies and then wrote her graduate thesis on the Museum's founder, Edith Barry. With a newly minted Master's degree in Museum Studies from the prestigious Cooperstown Graduate Program at SUNY-Oneonta, Cynthia had a short-term appointment with us last year during which she curated the 100 Years at the Beach and In the Maine Stream exhibitions, started two Twitter feeds, and--with registrar Kathryn Hussey--brought our collections inventory project to a whole new level!
We look forward to having her expertise in curating two new exhibitions slated to open in the first half of 2011 - Windows on the Past:History of Kennebunk Through Architecture, and Impressions of a World Traveler:Across the Globe with Edith Barry. Additionally, Cynthia will be continuing with her Collections work, as well as assisting our Acting Director with day-to-day operations. What is she looking forward to the most? "Helping the Museum celebrate its 75th year!" |
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The Brick Store Museum is located at 117 Main Street in the heart of Kennebunk's National Register Historic District. For more than 70 years, the Museum has been dedicated to preserving the rich cultural and artistic heritage of the Kennebunks. Its galleries and research archives are open year-round (closed holidays), Tuesdays-Fridays, 10-4:30 and Saturdays, 10-1. Admission is by donation; suggested $5/person. For more information, check us out at www.brickstoremuseum.org, or give us a call at 207.985.4802. |
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Did You Know...
...that our search for a new executive director is well underway? The position was advertised nationally beginning on November 15, 2010, and applications were accepted through midnight of December 31, 2010. A total of 57 applicants from 24 states and abroad responded to our posting. The Museum's Executive Search Committee is now busy reviewing candidates' materials and will begin the interview process soon. In the meantime, we're very fortunate and grateful to have Cheryl Price--whom many of you already know as our coordinator for administration and community outreach--as our acting director during this transition. |
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Museum Spotlight
The Brick Store Museum: 75 Years of Giving, by Janet Wolf, Trustee and Chair of the Membership Committee
With the newly renovated downtown Kennebunk streetscape, as well as many new businesses cropping up on Main Street and in Lower Village, there is a buzz of excitement and renewed sense of pride in our community. While we may still mourn the loss of Garden Street Market and the 5 & 10, we ultimately know that change is inevitable and that we must look ahead. Many lovingly- restored historic buildings and homes here have endured over the centuries, and we are a richer community because of them.
The Brick Store Museum is a symbol of such staying power. For 75 years the museum has preserved, collected, educated and interpreted. The Museum --and the treasures and information it holds so dear and
shares so generously--is a true gift to our community.
Like many community treasures we drive by every day, we often take them for granted. So if you've not visited the Museum in awhile (or maybe ever?!), I ask you to declare 2011 as the year to visit and support your treasure...we'll be having some wonderful exhibitions and exciting community celebrations to commemorate our milestone anniversary year. In the meantime, how can you help? In honor of our 75th anniversary, our goal is to welcome 75 new member households this year. So, if you're already a member, invite a friend to join too. And if you're not a member, do JOIN TODAY!
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Upcoming...
"Worthy Wednesday Dinner" to benefit the Museum, at One Dock Restaurant
"We'll Rally 'Round the Flag": A Singing History of the Civil War in a Trio of Concerts, as performed by Monica Grabin |
Check out our
"artifact of the month"  |
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