Gardner Museum Expansion | Fenway

[PlanBoston]

Re: Gardner Museum to undertake $60 million expansion

Apropos to this, how nice would it be for the Peabody Essex to move at least part of its collection to the Greenway space slated for the "Boston Museum"? It would be better for both the PEM (which languishes from lack of tourist attention up in Salem) and the new museum (which has no discernible purpose / real exhibits to put on).

I like the idea of the PEM having a presence in Boston, but wouldn't the former Louis building be a better venue? The "Boston Museum" should be scrapped altogether, parcel 9 should be rental apartments.

 

[Beton Brut]

Re: Gardner Museum to undertake $60 million expansion

At one point, PEM was supposed to build an annex in Boston. I mentioned it here a while back (wish I could find renderings). The project turned into a pissing contest within their Board of Trustees. They ended up building in Salem.

 

[czsz]

Re: Gardner Museum to undertake $60 million expansion

I like the idea of the PEM having a presence in Boston, but wouldn't the former Louis building be a better venue? The "Boston Museum" should be scrapped altogether, parcel 9 should be rental apartments.

No way, it should be near the waterfront and colonial heart of the city. PEM is all about the 18th century Asia trade; having it in Back Bay doesn't make as much sense.

The Louis could serve as an in town venue for one of the west suburban museums though: perhaps the DeCordova (sprinkle the little lawns with sculpture!) or Brandeis' troubled Rose or the weirdly titled Museum of Our National Heritage.

At one point, PEM was supposed to build an annex in Boston. I mentioned it here a while back (wish I could find renderings). The project turned into a pissing contest within their Board of Trustees. They ended up building in Salem.

Schade, but doesn't nix the ultimately good idea of a Bosotn presence in the future (trustees tend to be old...I suspect this bunch won't be around much longer).

 

[statler]

Re: Gardner Museum to undertake $60 million expansion

The FBI, now let's see ... weren't they the ones that knew about Mohamed Atta before 9/11?

And the fellow from Nigeria whom his father turned in ... they knew about him, too.

They probably have information pinpointing the Gardner's Vermeer too ... they just haven't connected the dots yet.

Ok, that's three out of..well, how many cases do you think have crossed their desks?
They probably have as good or better 'solve rate' as any high powered private firm. You just never hear about the successful stuff, just the blunders. :/

All I know is if I had choice between a private firm or the FBI to solve my murder, I'd pick the Feds. (Assuming that Spenser is just a fictional character, of course)

Edit:

perhaps the DeCordova (sprinkle the little lawns with sculpture!)

Best Proposal 2010

 

[lexicon506]

Re: Gardner Museum to undertake $60 million expansion

The best candidate to build in Boston has to be the Rose Art Museum. It would fit perfectly in Boston since there is no existing museum with a strong collection of 20th century art, and it would definitely make more money than it does now out in Waltham. Such a great collection should be front and center, not tucked away in the burbs!

The only problem is where is cash-strapped Brandeis going to find money to build on ramps? And how would students/alumni react to having their signature museum moved so far off campus? Oh well, I can always dream...

 

[found5dollar]

Re: Gardner Museum to undertake $60 million expansion

I suggest everyone read "The Gardner Heist." it explained everything about the museum and the stolen art works.

 

[Padre Mike]

Re: Gardner Museum to undertake $60 million expansion

It saddened me to read your story, ablarc, several pages ago. I'm sorry that your mother edured such sadness in the end, after having such success in establishing not only a legacy for her son, but also in fulfilling a dream of her own. I believe the Gardner changed irrevocably when the doorman was no longer there to hang up our coats in the overheated coat room (thus ensuring a toasty garment before venturing out into the winter winds), when there was no longer a simple sign asking for free-will donations, and when it had not been so popular with large crowds. That change took place over 35 years ago. Now I have to believe the present plan will at least address most of the issues dealing with numbers of patrons and give us all some breathing room in the palace.

 

[AmericanFolkLegend]

Re: Gardner Museum to undertake $60 million expansion

The only problem is where is cash-strapped Brandeis going to find money to build on ramps?

I think purchasing or leasing the building would be a more pressing need.

 

[briv]

Re: Gardner Museum to undertake $60 million expansion

I think it's pretty clear that the Piano addition, particularly the carriage house demolition, is an obvious and blatant violation of Gardner's will, which was very explicit. I was stunned when a judge ruled otherwise.

There are some facets of the addition that I find very exciting, particularly the black box theater. But on the whole I think the addition only serves to relegate the Gardner to just another overly-ambitious mid-level cultural institution, whereas it was an eccentric but utterly distinct pillar of authentic Boston culture. The whole get-a-fashionable-architect-to-design-a-contemporary-but-incongruous-addition-to-an-historic-edifice thing is beyond a cliche, it's more a lazy reflex. I'm so sick of it.

Maybe if the trustees had more vision we'd be seeing this new complex going up in the Seaport or another area in the core.

 

[ablarc]

Re: Gardner Museum to undertake $60 million expansion

^ Well said, briv.

You've pinpointed the error of this whole misguided effort.

 

[ablarc]

Re: Gardner Museum to undertake $60 million expansion

Thanks for your comments, Padre Mike.

 

[Justin7]

Re: Gardner Museum to undertake $60 million expansion

We have a new Boston Public Library next to the old one, and a new Cambridge Public Library next to the old one. What's wrong with a New Gardner next to the Old Gardner?

I think it's difficult to compare a library to a museum in this context. The ideal library would contain every book ever written, and as such, bigger often is better. Certainly the same cannot be said for a museum. Certainly not for this museum. Catalog vs. Collection.

Perhaps we could level the Johnson bunker, have Piano design a new BPL extension, and leave the Gardner alone?

 

[czsz]

Re: Gardner Museum to undertake $60 million expansion

I don't think every library wants to be the Library of Congress, actually. Intimacy is definitely the goal of many public libraries.

The real difference is that both the Boston and Cambridge central libraries are meant to be centralized city services for the masses. No museum in Boston is endowed with a similar purpose (the MFA is the only one that comes vaguely close).

 

[statler]

Re: Gardner Museum to undertake $60 million expansion

But on the whole I think the addition only serves to relegate the Gardner to just another overly-ambitious mid-level cultural institution, whereas it was an eccentric but utterly distinct pillar of authentic Boston culture.

Off topic, but related: I wonder if we may be seeing the same phenomenon happening at another Boston cultural pillar (minus the tacky addition)?

Boston Athenaeum We had a fabulous reception last night to welcome huge wave of new members who have joined the Athenaeum since our positive press last fall. 50% of our new members are under 40 years old! It was wonderful to introduce them to all of the many things we have to offer -- a full programming schedule, three art exhibition...s a year, world-class collections -- the list goes on -- thanks to those who joined us!

 

[ablarc]

Re: Gardner Museum to undertake $60 million expansion

... And what do you suppose will be the outcome when the busy Mr. Piano lays yet another of his standardized additions on, this time, the Fogg?


Truly ... I cannot express how dismayed I was by his banality at the Morgan Library. That's because I used to be an occasional time traveler in the slice of chronology it so authentically presented --before Piano's mincing ministrations rendered that impossible. It was so complete, it was so untrammeled, it was so authentic --without even a smoke detector to explode the stern, grey ambiance.

Those who didn't experience it before he ruined it can not possibly have any idea how much was lost to Piano's piffling interference. To them, to the clucking mobs that now inhabit it in never-before-dreamed-of numbers, it must be just another museum with a slick, modern entry. The take at the gate is easily fifty times what it was; sometimes you could have this place all to yourself --just like J.P. Morgan himself.

You used to come in through Morgan's front door, past peep-holes. It was defensible, probably blast-proof.

Piano totally wrecked the experience of visiting another time, and he wrecked the reality of the place as the great robber baron's refuge. What's substituted is like being treated to a narrated video in a pimped-out ruin.

.

 

[Beton Brut]

Re: Gardner Museum to undertake $60 million expansion

Being the devil's advocate, ablarc -- could another architect have done a better job? Or is "the job," the trustees' decision to grow the institution, the real problem?

Your reply will likely intrigue me, as I sit on the board of an organization that is positioning itself to grow.

 

[ablarc]

Re: Gardner Museum to undertake $60 million expansion

Sometimes success at the box office is the measure of the mission's failure.

 

[Beton Brut]

Re: Gardner Museum to undertake $60 million expansion

Increasing the capacity undermines the value of the experience.

In some respects, the same is true for Fenway Park.

 

[Ron Newman]

Re: Gardner Museum to undertake $60 million expansion

The Athenaeum, like any other cultural institution, needs to draw in new and younger members to replace older ones who die off. The alternative to this is for the institution itself to die.

 

[statler]

Re: Gardner Museum to undertake $60 million expansion

^^My understanding was that they were trying to increase rather than maintain.

I'm not necessarily opposed to that as long the experience isn't changed. (And even that really that doesn't matter too much to me as I'll never be a member anyway.)

And Fenway Park could have done much, much worse.