Grand Rapids Public Museum changes ownership

[GRDadof3]

City puts museum in hands of "friends"

Part of the deal is that they want the city to spend $2 Million to renovate parts of the museum and parking ramp.

[mpchicago]

This was the right move. It

[dbrok]

What's surprising to me about the museum is that they not only currently have no special exhibit running, they also don't have any scheduled. Usually they have two or three lined up.

[snoogit]

Because the city charter doesn't allow it to sell museum assets, the Friends Foundation will lease the facilities and its 245,000 artifacts for $1 per year for the next 99 years.

INCOME!!! It looks like a win-win for Grand Rapids

[Greedo]

Blockbuster exhibitions do not make strong institutions.

It's the depth of the permanent collection and breadth of its endowment. And if I remember correctly the Public Museum hasn't invested in either. I hope this change will spur new investment of both.

[GRDadof3]

With over 245,000 artifacts, there's got to be at least 1000 extremely interesting ones. Wouldn't you think? They should rotate the artifacts around, to get repeat visitors. We haven't gone in years because it appears to be the same exhibits.

[dbrok]

Blockbuster exhibitions do not make strong institutions.

It's the depth of the permanent collection and breadth of its endowment. And if I remember correctly the Public Museum hasn't invested in either. I hope this change will spur new investment of both.

I think that huge exhibitions do have a major influence, though. The Dead Sea Scrolls exibit three years ago gave the museum national and world-wide recognition as it was the only American stop of the tour and attendance was very strong. Exhibitions create the income as they attract people who wouldn't normally visit the museum.

Both the museum and public library have pretty large collections tucked away that really need to see the light of day more often. The permanent exhibits are pretty much the same old, same old.

[gvsusean]

its the worst museum i have ever been too (apart from the GRAM and the GRF museum), damn our museums suck

[Prankster]

Our museum is more of a community museum, geared toward the people that live here. It is not something that people from outside the region would travel to visit, unless there is a blockbuster exhibit like the Dead Sea Scrolls. But as far as function, it works fine for the occasional visit from locals and school groups.