Exciting projects on the horizon!

There are all kinds of exciting things we're working on behind-the-scenes!  Here are just a few of them:

• Last week conservator Bob Lodge, of McKay Lodge Laboratory, Inc., came to the Museum to review our Brader collection.  We have a total of 8 drawings -- 6 framed and 2 unframed.  He examined each one and will be letting us know what the possibilities are for conservation.  I found him riveting!  I spent the day just trying to absorb a fraction of his vast knowlege about paper.  There are some minor issues and some not-so-minor issues with our Braders, but nothing that will prevent any of them from being chosen for inclusion in the exhibition we are planning in conjunction with the Canton Museum of Art in December 2014.  When Bob was taking the backing off of one of the Braders, it had been patched with a bag from Stone's!  As in SAM STONE, of A Secret Gift fame...
• Speaking of which, today Chris and I met with Michelle Mullaly and Lisa Boyer from the Canton Symphony to discuss partnership opportunities surrounding our exhibit based on Ted Gup's book A Secret Gift, and a special Christmas concert they are planning with a new piece also based on the book.  The ideas were flying!  Stayed tuned for more -- we are going to be bringing you A LOT of neat events!
• Last week Split Rock Studios was here installing the major components of the new Fascination Station in Discover World, where Space Station Earth used to be located.  There are tons of great new things to see up there!  There are new interactives, but also new and improved old favorites like Shadow Catcher and the Weather Station.  We're having our grand opening February 18 (President's Day) so we hope to see you there!
• Today we received a donation of a barber chair that President McKinley used to sit in when he was having his hair cut!  We have plans to re-design the Barber Shop in the Street of Shops to accommodate this new piece.  That shop was not part of our button project, so we will be adding a new button explaining the significance of this barber chair, as well as several other barber shop pieces that were also part of the donation.
• On a personal note, I found out this morning that my proposal to Arcadia Publishing for an Images of America book on the history of entertainment in Canton was accepted!  I have a spring deadline, so look for a pre-Christmas release of my FOURTH book!  I'm very excited about this new project!