One year ago in November, Side of Culture published articles about New York Jewish Museum, the New York Society Library and the Kansas State Historical Society and after their extensive renovations, they are thriving and serving their communities even more vitally than ever.
Last November, Linda Cabasin wrote about the renovation at New York’s Jewish Museum. From the fourth floor of New York’s Jewish Museum, one view reveals a striking double-height space with rows of gleaming Hanukkah lamps above and a gallery of contemporary Jewish art below. The new spaces and exhibits, with their contrasts and surprises, reflect the museum’s commitment to reimagining museum education and how, as Director James S. Snyder said during a preview, “a culturally specific museum can lead the way in complex times.” An art museum, the Jewish Museum is dedicated to exploring more than 3,500 years of the global Jewish experience and advancing dialogue and understanding among people of all backgrounds.
The Kansas Museum of History in Topeka unveiled last November a dramatically reimagined experience that celebrates the stories, people, and moments that have shaped the Sunflower State. The museum directors explained that visitors returning to the museum discovered a fully transformed 20,000-square-foot gallery designed to spark curiosity and encourage personal connection. The Kansas State Historical Society was established in 1875. Today the agency programs and services draw more than 15.5 million people. Historical Society programs are diverse and serve a large number of the state’s population as well as out-of-state patrons. The Kansas Historical Society is the state agency that provides curriculum materials on state history to our K-12 schools helping them to meet their state-required coursework. The agency also plays a significant part in the state and local economies through its museums and historic sites.
Last November, Jean Phifer wrote about The New York Society Library. The organization was founded in 1754 and is the oldest library and cultural institution in New York City. The word “society” in the name refers not to high society but to a gathering of people with common interest in books and learning. At its founding, the library was located in the old City Hall, which became Federal Hall after the American Revolution. There it served as the de facto Library of Congress, with members including George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, Aaron Burr and many other founders of the republic. As the population of Manhattan moved north, the library grew and relocated several times.
After the renovation, the library is now even better suited to offering an elegant respite from the hubbub of New York City as well as stimulating lectures, exhibitions and programs focused on books and literature. Library membership is open to all, and members enjoy book circulation privileges and use of the reading and study spaces. However the Library’s reference room, exhibits, and many events are open to the public, and the Library partners with the Authors Guild, the Harlem Writers Guild, and organizations such as Beyond the Book, Project Cicero, and the Girl Scouts of America, among many others, to provide books, writing mentorships, and a host of other educational programs.
Compiled by Victoria Larson, Publisher of Side of Culture
Featured Photo: The reading room for the members is frequented by members looking for a quiet spot to read and write. Every day the Library’s active programming includes lectures, author talks, and book discussions. Photo courtesy of the New York Society Library.
