Museum Village has ‘less than three months of funding,’ says exec

As Museum Village approaches its 75-year anniversary next year, officials at the museum say that unless it receives a funding boost, the Monroe landmark could close its doors in a matter of months.

“When I arrived here 18 months ago, the museum was in a financial challenge,” said Museum Village Executive Director and Chief Curator Jamie Robinson.

“COVID has affected the museum profoundly. The years 2020 and 2021 were easily upwards of $650,000 worth of loss for an organization that was already struggling to function. This is a seasonal museum that has not, for decades, consistently received any real support at the town, county, state, or federal levels which is normally about 50% of funding for museums. The museum tried to run 2022 with $10,000 more than it was run with in 1974. That doesn’t function.”

Through educational programs, hands-on-exhibits, and special events, Museum Village explores and interprets the late 19th-century in small town America. From rural town life to the evolution of industry and technology, the museum spans a time period from approximately 1875 to 1910.

Robinson says that in the 1970s, the museum was seeing upwards of 100,000 visitors and 40,000 school kids annually. Today, the part-time museum sees closer to 8,000 visitors and 12,000 school kids annually from New York and New Jersey.

Perhaps surprisingly, the museum’s buildings, many of which date back to the 1940s, are not designed to preserve historic artifacts as they are not climate controlled. Robinson says securing funds for a temporary building to house the artifacts while the buildings are upgraded is an urgent priority.

To that end, Robinson has been in touch with local representatives such as State Sen. James Skoufis and Rep. Pat Ryan to discuss funding through grants and the possibility of becoming a budget line item in the state budget. He also hopes to meet with officials from Monroe and Blooming Grove soon.

“We have less than three months of funding and we need to have the entire community support Museum Village if it is worth keeping,” Robinson said. “We believe there is a need for the museum, especially as it pertains to school children, and we have a clear vision for the future that will allow the museum to serve a wider swath of the public in a more meaningful and modern way.”

For more information on the museum, visit museumvillage.org.