GREENWICH, CT– The Bruce Museum is proud to announce that three grant proposals representing a combined total of $41,065 dollars were awarded by Connecticut Humanities (CTH) last week. Grant totals include a $20,000 CT Summer at the Museum grant, a $16,066 Planning Grant, and a $4,999 Quick Grant.
The CT Summer at the Museum Grant program invites Connecticut children ages 18 and under plus one accompanying Connecticut resident adult to visit participating museums free of charge from July 1 through September 5, 2022. Funding for the initiative is provided by the CT General Assembly, with the support of Connecticut Humanities and the Department of Economic and Community Development, Office of the Arts, which also receives support from the federal ARPA. The Bruce Museum also participated in this program in the summer of 2021. During that period, the initiative was hugely successful, and the museum saw hundreds of children from CT and their caregivers. This year the grant will fund operation costs for the Bruce Museum, Seaside Center, and other programmatic offerings from the Bruce Mobile program.
“We are so grateful to CT Humanities and Governor Lamont for the continued support of education and enrichment programs that kids all over the state can enjoy. I look forward to seeing familiar faces and new visitors engaged with the Seaside Center, Bruce Mobile program, and the Museum’s permanent science galleries this summer.”
Suzanne Lio, Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer of the Bruce Museum
The Bruce Museum will also be working on two brand-new initiatives also funded by CTH. The $16,066 Planning Grant will support the development of the Connecticut Modern Driving Tour, a self-guided exploration of sites throughout the state related to modern art, architecture, artists, and designers. The content of the tour, which explores Connecticut’s role in the rise of modern art in America, will be accessible in both English and Spanish. The tour will be hosted on a mobile-friendly website and include directions on how to access each location, audio/written descriptions, and images. This project represents a multi-organizational collaboration with locations of interest across the state.
Finally, the $4,999 Quick Grant award will fund a project to translate all the labels in the newly renovated permanent science gallery, Natural Cycles Shape Our Land, into Spanish. This project is a priority to create a more inclusive museum for a growing Spanish-speaking community across Fairfield and Westchester counties. This initiative is just one component of the Bruce Museum’s ongoing effort to improve accessibility and lays the groundwork for bilingual interpretation extending to all facets of the Museum.
“The Bruce Museum is committed to providing engaging and accessible programs for everyone. While this project is a fundamental next step in our transformation into the New Bruce, it is only the beginning of our journey to build a welcoming museum that everyone in our community can enjoy.”
Robert Wolterstorff, Executive Director of the Bruce Museum
About Connecticut Humanities:
Connecticut Humanities (CTH) is an independent, nonprofit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. CTH connects people to the humanities through grants, partnerships, and collaborative programs. CTH projects, administration, and program development are supported by state and federal matching funds, community foundations and gifts from private sources.
About the Bruce Museum
Located in Bruce Park overlooking Greenwich Harbor, the Bruce Museum is a community-based, world-class institution that offers a changing array of exhibitions and educational programs to promote the understanding and appreciation of art and science.
In 2019, Bruce Museum broke ground on its current expansion project, which will take the building from 33,000 to over 70,000 square feet. The New Bruce will feature state-of-the-art exhibitions, education, and community spaces, including: a changing gallery for art and five new permanent galleries in the new William L. Richter Art Wing; a changing gallery for science; a new permanent science exhibition, Natural Cycles Shape Our Land; three new classrooms in the Steven and Alexandra Cohen Education Wing; and a bistro, an auditorium, and grand hall.
The new building connects the Museum to its picturesque setting in Bruce Park in a dramatic new way. The New Bruce campus will feature a sculpture-lined, landscaped walking path and inviting spaces for relaxation and contemplation—natural enhancements to Bruce Park and an anchoring connection to the retail hub of Greenwich Avenue. The grand opening of the New Bruce is planned for the spring of 2023.