The museum plans to move into the historic First Bank of the United States building at 120 S. 3rd St. But before it can make the move in early 2010, the museum hopes to raise $25 million to retrofit the space.
Friday, August 10, 2007
Civil War museum to set up camp in prominent location
Philadelphia Business Journal - by Peter Van Allen Staff Writer
The Civil War and Underground Railroad Museum of Philadelphia will move to a more prominent spot in the city's historic district.
The museum plans to move into the historic First Bank of the United States building at 120 S. 3rd St. But before it can make the move in early 2010, the museum hopes to raise $25 million to retrofit the space.
The Civil War museum is at 1805 Pine St., on a residential block that gets few walk-by tourists. By moving to the historic district, the museum will be a stone's throw from Carpenters' Hall and the Independence Living History Center, and not far from the President's House exhibit planned for 6th and Market.
"We're in a residential neighborhood now and the neighborhood has been good to us. We've been there since 1922," said museum Deputy Director Beth Ilyssa Becker. "But visitors have a hard time finding us. This way we'll be more accessible and we'll be able to partner with other historic groups."
At present, the museum receives 4,500 visitors a year but hopes to significantly add to that number at the new site.
For now, the Civil War Museum's collection will remain at the Pine Street location.
The museum was founded in 1888 by veteran officers from the Union Army, Navy and Marine Corps. It claims to be the oldest chartered Civil War institution in the United States created to preserve the history of the war between the states. Its mission includes promoting public education through the collection and the preservation and display of artifacts and documents.
Holdings include 7,000 photographs, 7,000 books, 3,000 artifacts, hundreds of art works and a trove of archives. Permanent displays include firearms, sabers, uniforms, paintings, photographs and flags from the war, 1861-65.
The museum's capital campaign, which is still being formulated, would pay for renovations on the new site, said Becker, who is currently the museum's highest ranking staffer. The museum is conducting a national search for an executive director, a post vacated when Dr. John Rumm left.
Renovations would include the addition of stairways, an elevator, rest rooms, outfitting of exhibit space, architectural fees, construction and associated work to make the space handicapped accessible.
The First Bank of the United States building, which dates to 1797 and features a grand marble facade, was constructed under the direction of Alexander Hamilton, who was the nation's first secretary of the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The bank's charter was revoked by Congress in 1811 and, in 1812, the building was bought by Stephen Girard, who later founded Girard Trust Co.
Over the years the building has served as office space for the National Park Service and, more recently, as temporary space for Once Upon a Nation employees.
The museum's move is being made with the cooperation of the park service and the city of Philadelphia, which kicked off the museum's capital campaign by contributing $1.2 million.
The city's grant was part of $68.6 million given to 24 cultural organizations in the city. Mayor John F. Street pledged $150 million to the city's Cultural Corridors Fund.
"We are very pleased and grateful that Mayor Street has publicly recognized our institution as worth supporting," said E. Harris Baum, chairman of the board of governors for the museum.
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|