News from LONGYEAR MUSEUM A REPORT TO MEMBERS AND FRIENDS Meet the Exhibit Design Team Recently we talked with three key As Project Manager, Sara Smith makes members of the firm — Amaze Design, sure that the team — Longyear staff Inc. of Boston — about their work on and Trustees, the Amaze designers Longyear’s exhibits focusing on Mary and builders, the subcontractors who Baker Eddy and the early workers. bring a variety of skills to the project For Andy Anway, President; Sara — works collaboratively and efficient - Smith, Project Manager; and Scott ly. Sara explains that at the outset of a Rabiet, Designer, the Longyear assign - museum project, it’s important to be ment has been their introduction to focused on the message. Christian Science and its Discoverer We work with the client to find the and Founder. The team began the message that needs to be conveyed project in March 2000 and their and the most effective way to do progress has been inspiring. We’d like that. At Longyear the main mes - you to meet them. sage is one of love and appreciation Amaze Design works with museums, for Mary Baker Eddy, her discov - zoos and aquariums throughout the ery of Christian Science and the Andy Anway, President of Amaze Design (left), world. Their projects have ranged labor she put into writing the and Directo r/Curator Steve Howard discuss from interpretive centers in the mid - many editions of Science and exhibit construction. dle of rain forests, and world-class Health with Key to the Scriptures. aquariums in the U.S., Europe and Scott Rabiet’s background is in con - Asia, to museums of history, culture struction and architecture. As an and politics. The firm has just com - exhibit designer, he is charged with pleted the exhibit design for the new integrating the built form that the National Museum of Australia, focus - exhibit takes with the communica - ing on the social, natural and cultural tion goals. Scott explains the Amaze history of that country. approach — to let the exhibit’s con - President Andy Anway talks of the tent take the lead. quality of joy that has distinguished What the exhibit conveys to the the Longyear project. visitor should be the real content This project has been unusual in of the exhibit and it should not be the camaraderie and the support. overshadowed by the design. I We can stretch ourselves, take would think I had failed if the risks and really do our best work. design screamed, “Look at me,” The joy for us is being able to and the message was lost in high work in this environment. design. Designer Scott Rabiet works on an exhibit model. Continued on page 7 L ONGYEAR M USEUM S PRING 2001 1 LONGYEAR MUSEUM ESTABLISHED 1923 A Letter from the Trustees 1125 Boylston Street Chestnut Hill, MA 02467 Outside MA (800) 277-8943 Within MA (617) 278-9000 Dear Members and Friends, MISSION With this issue of the newsletter, we salute spring and the growth and Longyear Museum collects, preserves, expansiveness that mark the season. and shares historical records of the life of Mary Baker Eddy and her early students. Our cover story will introduce you to the designers who have been BOARD OF TRUSTEES working on our exhibits about Mary Baker Eddy and the early workers Graves D. Hewitt, Chairman for the past year. In the coming months, we will keep you informed of V. Ellen Williams, President our progress. June A. Austin Marian H. Holbrook Our sincere thanks for the generous support of each and every one of our Robert B. Larsen members and friends. As you will see in the articles that follow, we are Anne H. McCauley Mark C. Turrentine hard at work on completing several of our permanent exhibits. Roger B. Wilson As the work at hand expands, so does our staff. We are delighted that EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Scott MacDonald is on board to help us build a solid base of support for John Baehrend our activities, programs and exhibits. As Director of Development, Scott DIRECTOR • CURATOR is traveling across the country. He would love to meet with you, to give Stephen R. Howard you a personal progress report on Longyear and to tell you how you can DIRECTOR OF MUSEUM ACTIVITIES Sandra J. Houston take an active role in the Museum. DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT Also in the issue you will see that Longyear’s commitment to serving the Scott N. MacDonald public has never been stronger. Plans for special events for visitors of all Editor: Jean W. Angier ages are in the works. And we’re putting special emphasis on reaching a younger audience. Design: Karen Shea Design Our hope is that you can come to Longyear to see the progress made pos - Photos: Wendell A. Davis, Jr., unless otherwise noted sible by so many of our members and friends. We look forward to giving Visit our Web site: you a warm welcome. www.longyear.org With gratitude, e-mail us: [email protected] Longyear Board of Trustees In addition to the Museum, Longyear owns and operates six historic houses in which Mary Baker Eddy lived: 277 Main Street, Amesbury, MA 133 Central Street, Stoughton, MA 23 Paradise Road, Swampscott, MA 62 North State Street, Concord, NH Hall’s Brook Road, North Groton, NH Stinson Lake Road, Rumney, NH Copyright © 2001 by Longyear Museum. All rights reserved. 2 S PRING 2001 L ONGYEAR M USEUM Sharing the Legacy “Longyear’s collection includes some fascinating objects, artifacts and doc - uments that are just waiting to be shared with people of all ages,” according to Dr. Susan E. Schopp, Education Coordinator. To introduce the Museum to a wide audience, Susan is planning a range of special programs and events designed to appeal to young people, adults, families, campers at Christian Science camps across the country, visiting school groups and residents of retirement facilities. “Our goal is to offer three or four special programs a year,” says Susan. “This past March, Dr. Paul O. Williams — poet, author and a former Principia College professor — gave Susan E. Schopp, Education Coordinator, talks with teens from across the United two well-received talks: New England States at an Adventure Unlimited Regional Meeting. Photo: Longyear Museum video - Thought in the 19th Century and the tape library Emergence of Christian Science and Susan describes plans for several One might be an introduction to the Mary Baker Eddy — Poet . We’re ongoing series of programs: “We’d like portraits of early Christian Scientists working on another special program to offer a selection of gallery talks — in the Longyear Gallery, another could for June and will also offer a musical each one will offer our visitors a be a talk focusing on the Museum’s Christmas event.” glimpse into the Museum’s unique collection of furniture and artifacts and historically important collection. from Mrs. Eddy’s family, the Bakers.” Curatorial Assistant Sarah Sampson and young Museum visitors make Victorian orna - This year will also see further devel - ments at a Longyear Christmas Open House. opments in programs specially designed for Christian Science camps. And, of course, a variety of special and ongoing programs will be developed to complement the Museum’s new exhibits, scheduled to open this fall. “Longyear’s program offerings are designed to provide factual informa - tion about Mrs. Eddy, her work and that of the early workers in an inter - esting way,” says Susan. “We hope these programs and special events will enable us to reach out to a variety of audiences and share this rich legacy.” L ONGYEAR M USEUM S PRING 2001 3 Welcome Scott Scott MacDonald sees his job as an Scott may be familiar to some of the opportunity to “inspire members and Museum’s members and friends. In the new friends to be part of the Museum’s early 90’s he was involved in financial promising mission.” development for Principia, where he worked for Bob Larsen, then Director “We’re at a critical point in the of Financial Development and now a progress of the Museum,” says Scott. member of the Longyear Board of “The building is completed and paid Trustees. “There is a nice bridge for and now the real work — the devel - between my background and my new opment of the exhibits and programs assignment,” says Scott. that serve the public — is blossoming. “In a very real sense, I’m taking the Our estimates indicate that we need $2 Museum to the people,” explains Scott MacDonald million to complete the exhibits.” Director of Development Scott. “I want to encourage folks to “Longyear Museum exists because of call and talk about Longyear and to Mrs. Longyear’s appreciation of Mrs. schedule a time for me to come and Eddy, the early workers and their visit. Whether in personal meetings achievements. She saw the need for or small group gatherings for up to 25 preserving the integrity of their work,” or 30 people, I’m eager to spread the according to Scott. “Now it’s our vision word about Longyear’s inspiring past and love that will preserve the legacy.” and its equally inspiring future” Named Gifts — love one another Living Stones New Hampshire slate panels in the Wingaway Foyer overlooking the For a contribution of $150, you can Museum’s garden courtyard. add a brick to Longyear’s path of Living Stones — a lasting gift that Millennium Wall identifies someone whose life has The Millennium Wall is a prominent been touched by Mrs. Eddy’s discov - feature of the Wingaway Foyer and ery, such as a favorite Sunday School recognizes gifts of $10,000 or more.