We are very pleased to report that Dr. Kay Sato, president of Raynham Hall Museum, announced the receipt of a “GET READY” grant to help the museum begin its strategic planning process. The grant from the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency, will enable Raynham Hall to work with consultant Anne W. Ackerson, director of the Museum Association of New York. Ms. Ackerson has met with board and staff members to provide an overview of the planning process and to introduce the importance of planning in helping Raynham Hall to meet its mission of preserving the Townsend family house in Oyster Bay, interpreting its history between 1740 and 1880 and educating the public.
The strategic planning process will help the Board formulate the direction in which it believes the museum should be headed in the next five to 10 years. It also provides an opportunity for stakeholder input by way of a series of focus groups which the planning committee will hold with various community businesses and organizations during the month of October.
The “GET READY” grants are one of a series of grants offered to help museums and historical societies strengthen and develop their institutions and work with their communities. The grants, administered by the Upstate History Alliance, are designed to make it easy for organizations to access professional help and improve their institutions.
We applaud the New York State Council on the Arts for picking this great accredited house museum, located at 20 West Main Street, in Oyster Bay, for a grant. The museum is a great pearl in the heart of Oyster Bay and is one of our favorite places.
The current exhibit of hidden treasures is worth your visit. Do drop in and see this truly wonderful reminder of our colonial history in Oyster Bay. And as a bonus – it features the Victorian era. So many stories to tell – so little time – and thank you New York State Council on the Arts for the grant that will allow the museum to tell more of its stories!
