It was right after The Barnum Museum in Bridgeport, Conn. signed on to become a new member of The Fairfield/Westchester Museum Alliance ”“ along with Wave Hill in the Bronx ”“ that The Barnum received approximately more than $6 million worth of damage to its historic building due to an early summer tornado.
Did executive director/curator Kathleen Maher take this as a sign?
“Oh, my God,” she says, laughing. “P.T. Barnum in his life faced five major fires. I know he”™s looking down on me and saying, ”˜Tornado? You”™re kidding me. Let”™s go.”™”
And that”™s exactly what Maher is doing: She”™s taking the whirlwind of bad luck as an opportunity to restore the signature terra-cotta tile dome and the rest of the 1893 site ”“ the showman and circus impressario”™s last museum ”“ to what it was and what it can be. In the meantime, the back gallery has a kinetic sculpture show by David Millen through Jan. 2. And so, Maher is glad to be part of The Alliance at this difficult time:
“The last thing we want is to go dark.”
For Wave Hill, too, there is strength in joining The Alliance, which offers discounts on admission and gift shops at all of its sites.
“Every cultural institution is struggling,” says Claudia Bonn, president and executive director of Wave Hill, known for its imaginative blend of cultural and environmental themes set against the splendid backdrop of the Hudson River. “Our budget is down 20 percent. We need to use staff and resources carefully.”
Being part of an organization with a far greater marketing reach can only help.
From a demographic standpoint, it makes sense for each to have joined The Alliance. About one-third of Wave Hill”™s visitors come from Westchester County. A February promotion offering free admission to Westchester families drew more than 150, with many becoming subscribers.
As for The Barnum, Maher says: “We serve all regions. We”™re pretty much a national site. We get e-mails from all over the world.”
She sees The Alliance like the tornado ”“ a chance to make her institution even better.
The eight members of the Alliance are:
The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Ridgefield, Conn. ”“ Cutting-edge exhibits on emerging and mid-career artists, amid a landscape dotted by sculpture. The seven shows on view through Jan. 2 include “Rackstraw Downes: Under the West Side Highway,” which the artist says depicts a space as “very ancient Rome, Piranesi-like”¦with enormous columns and some nice curves.” Aldrich.org., 203-438-4519.
The Barnum Museum, Bridgeport, Conn. — An early summer tornado damaged its Belle Epoque building but not its spirit. While the historic building is closed, the back ballery contains “Celebrating the Spirit of P.T. Barnum! Energy, Balance, Vitality,” featuring nearly 20 David Millen sculptures. barnum-museum.org, 203-331-1104
Bruce Museum, Greenwich, Conn. — The Bruce has turned up the aesthetic heat in recent years to become one of the premier regional venues for the fine arts, thanks in large part to the leadership of Northern Baroque scholar Peter C. Sutton. On view through Jan. 9 ”“ “Circus! Art and Science Under the Big Top.” brucemuseum.org, 203-869-0376
Hudson River Museum, Yonkers — Famed for its interdisciplinary takes on the river that gives it its name and spectacular backdrop, the museum is offering “Paintbox Leaves: Autumnal Inspiration from Cole to Wyeth,” surveying the Hudson River School and Realist traditions. hrm.org, 963-4550
Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art, Peekskill –The center has established a reputation for a fearless exploration of today”™s global art scene. “After the Fall” considers emerging artists from East and Central Europe, educated during the transitional period between communism and democracy. hvcca.org, 788-0100
Katonah Museum of Art, Katonah — Even without a permanent collection, this intimate venue always packs a provocative punch. This fall, “Mapping: Memory and Motion in Contemporary Art” considers maps as metaphors for everything from gender-bending to failed colonialism. katonahmuseum.org, 232-9555
Neuberger Museum of Art, Purchase — As well-known for its collection of modern and contemporary American art as it is for its thought-provoking exhibits. Fall shows include “American Light, Black Light: Faith Ringgold”™s Paintings of the 1960s,” shedding light on a rarely seen body of work and the civil rights struggle. neuberger.org, 251-6100
Wave Hill, Riverdale, The Bronx ”“ The site blends an imaginative approach to programming with 28 lovely acres perched high above the Hudson River.
“Remediate/Re-vision: Public Artists Engaging the Environment” (through Nov. 30), showcasing a dozen works at home and abroad, is typical of an organization that melds cultural and ecological concerns. wavehill.org, 718- 549-3200
