Annual Report FY09_Layout 1 - Hill-Stead Museum

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When I joined Hill-Stead Museum as Director and CEO in January 2009, I was captivated by the beauty of the collections and landscape. As a relative newcomer, I threw myself into learning everything I could about the history of Hill-Stead to gain a better sense of this unique National Historic Landmark. After attending every program available to the public, I was able to discern five major assets that we offer: a renowned Impressionist collection, a Colonial Revival house that is an architectural wonder, a beautiful formal Sunken Garden and three miles of walking trails, plus 152 acres of pastoral and woodland property and an important agricultural / farming heritage to interpret and cultivate in new ways. In the spring of 2009, Hill-Stead Museum began to see a rise in the number of visitors, members and gift shop sales. As an institution we are becoming increasingly more visible in various media and the press and are very much an integral part of the Connecticut museum world. Cultivating new, serious partnerships with different organizations such as Leadership Greater Hartford, Stanley-Whitman House, CT Historical Society, Greater Hartford Arts Council, Mark Twain House, Harriet Beecher Stowe Center, Discovery Center and New Britain Museum of American Art has helped build credibility and excitement around our mission and values. Our capital projects in 2009 were funded by a grant received from the Connecticut Trust which allowed us to take two important steps toward the preservation of our two barns on the lower part of the property. The “Assessment of Existing Conditions” report of the barns, completed in October 2008, is the road map to the stabilization of both barns and will enable us to write grants for this work. We were also able to hire an architectural historian, Rachel Carley, to amend our 1991 National Landmark Application at the National Park Service. The amended report carefully describes all of the buildings and the significant landscape features on the estate, not just the Pope Riddle House. It also changes Hill-Stead’s designation from a single building to a historic district. This report is now in the hands of the CT Commission on Culture & Tourism's Historic Preservation Office, who will get it to Washington for us. A major capital improvement project well underway is the installation of a sophisticated fire detection and suppression system funded through major grants from the Maximilian E. & Marion O. Hoffman and William and Alice Mortensen Foundations, and the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. This major improvement will preserve the historic house, rich archives, priceless collections and important business files far into the future. More than 2,500 students from around the region representing schools K–college visited Hill-Stead in 2009. The students and their teachers were here for an extended period of time, taking full advantage of the property and resources. We are proud that there is such a high rate of repeat visitation. In addition, we have poets-in-residence based at two Hartford high schools, A. I. Prince Technical and Greater Hartford Classical Magnet School. Our education programs at the museum are supported in part by SBM Charitable Foundation and Farmington Bank. We receive support for our Poetry Outreach Program from Ellen Jeanne Goldfarb Memorial Trust and Lincoln Financial. 6 Hill-Stead Museum
Just checking our website, www.hillstead.org, gives a complete idea of all the public programs that are offered here. They range from nature walks for all ages to the Sunken Garden Poetry and Music Festival to summer adventure programs for children and new letterboxing and family backpack activities. The museum also has a strong online presence with its internationally-read nature blog at hillsteadblog.wordpress.com and its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/hillsteadmuseum. I’m convinced that Hill-Stead has something for everyone. Please make time to come back for a visit and find out what you can gain from the full Hill-Stead experience. Sue Sturtevant, Ed. D. Director & CEO Photo: Elizabeth Collins A Place Where Art & Nature Meet 7
Page 1 and 2: A Place Where Art & Nature Meet ANN
Page 4 and 5: CONTENTS 5 Letter from Board Presid
Page 8 and 9: BOARD OF GOVERNORS Trustees & Offic
Page 10 and 11: PUBLIC PROGRAMS, continued Gardens,
Page 12 and 13: PHOTOGRAPHIC SERVICES Rights and re
Page 14 and 15: ACQUISITIONS CAPITAL PROJECTS Archi
Page 16 and 17: DONORS Hill-Stead Museum extends it
Page 18 and 19: DONORS, CONTINUED Family/Household
Page 20 and 21: DONORS, CONTINUED Individual, conti
Page 22 and 23: DONORS, CONTINUED Memorial & Honora
Page 24 and 25: DONORS, CONTINUED Major Benefit Eve
Page 26 and 27: VOLUNTEERS, CONTINUED Curatorial &
Page 28 and 29: MUSEUM STAFF & INTERNS Interns Seme
Page 30: Legacy Society Formed in 2001, the

Annual Report FY09_Layout 1 - Hill-Stead Museum

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