timeless lessons the values and the joys of living history Old sturbridge village 2 0 1 0 - 2 0 1 1 a n n u a l r e p O r t timeless lessons the values and the joys of living history Living history … making history. during my four-year adventure as president and CeO of Old sturbridge village, i have been privileged to be part of something truly extraordinary: the turnaround, stabilization, and survival of a true new england icon, and one of the oldest, largest, and most cherished living history museums in the country. i am pleased to report that last year Jim donahue, President and CEO Old Sturbridge Village posted itS beSt perfOrmance in SeVen yearS and marked a third Straight year Of gainS. We are proud to have balanced the operating budget for the second straight year – the first time in more than 10 years that the village has turned in back-to-back balanced budgets. How did we do it? Most certainly the 280,000 273,752 visitors museum’s return to stability and growth 270,000 could not have happened without the 260,000 dedicated efforts of staff, trustees, 250,000 volunteers, donors, Members, and 240,000 visitors – people who care deeply and 230,000 passionately about the village, and who 220,000 worked hard to preserve and protect 2007 2008 2009 2010 its future. but, as i reflect on last year’s success, i also realize it had a lot to do with good old-fashioned new england values. Old sturbridge village the values that guided early new englanders are still relevant Understanding community founders, the WellS and important today. the values that our historians personify and teach Identifying the essential and timeless family, began collecting every day are worth remembering and sharing with future generations. at Old sturbridge village, we are fortunate to have the support of many what they believed to be these values have helped Old sturbridge village through hard times, “communities” – our staff, volunteers, donors, members, visitors, and “essential and timeless” and have led us to growth and success. now -- our Facebook fans. in the 1920s and 1930s. but they took this vision i am reminded of some words of wisdom from a longtime friend of the one step further – they village and former Osv senior curator, Jane nylander. at our 2009 nearly collected objects from president’s award dinner honoring Jane, she spoke of the values intrinsic growing to 7,000, our everyday living, and put them to the village. Old sturbridge village Membersin a live setting have so visitors been with us through thick andcould thin.experience life as Identifying the essential and timeless it once was in early new england. today, • part of our mission is Enriching people’s lives We honor them each yearto continue on friend to identifyS day and as a Member thank-you,the essential we brought and timeless • back the village activity– andOSV to d collect,Og day preserve,S, Seeing good proportion and beauty where “Member dogs”and get shareto enjoy what the we sights have and smells of the villagefound along with with our their visitors. • Valuing quality and durability in craftsmanship • Valuing thrifty living • Understanding community • Honoring and protecting the past • We often looked to these values during the past year as we overcame hurdles and tightened our organizational belt. they have made us strong, strengthened our resolve, and renewed our confidence in the future. 2 Enriching people’s lives Quite simply… our goal at the village is to make our experience accessible, affordable, and fun. if we accomplish these three to that end, our program staff is We are also mindful of improving objectives, then everything else constantly updating our offerings accessibility. seniors often tell us will follow ... our guests will learn to keep the experience fresh and that although they love touring a lot, they will be eager to return relevant. last year, we hosted the village, walking isn’t as easy – with friends and family – and 20 different special event days for them as it once was. to make they will have lasting memories or weekends, including new and it easier for them to get around, of the village. expanded events like drummerS’ we added a special carryall tOur, call, natiVe american Winter which culminates with fireside traditiOnS, and muSic & art entertainment and a hearth- Weekend. We also increased our prepared meal at the bullard hands-on crafts activities and tavern. and, to improve access added more workshops to our for our spanish-speaking visitors, creativity, discovery, curiosity popular craftS at close we began offering SpaniSh range program. language tOurS last summer. 5 t h i s y e a r a l o n e students touched, tasted, painted, pounded, On the education front, bookings for the hOp intO hiStOry OVernight 68,000 programs continue to grow, particularly among scout and school groups, giggled, glowed, discovered, questioned, and searched their way increasing 400 percent over the prior year. a highlight is the evening lantern tOur of the village – complete with spooky stories. through the Village and found out how much fun history can be. More than 8,000 students visited on donor-funded scholarships. attendance in our popular 1830s-costumed diScovery campS increased by 40 percent over the prior year, and we also added a more affordable and flexible non-costumed camp option. Campers in our new explOratiOn campS can choose from one- and two-day sessions with topics like archaeology: i dig hiStOry. the expanSiOn Of Our internShip prOgram continues to be a bright spot. not only do the interns in period costume augment our staff, these young people add a lot of life to the village. and it’s gratifying to know that we are training the next generation of museum professionals. Most of our college interns live in dorm-like accommodations, and love the fellowship and camaraderie. as one said, lots of them! From Discovery Camps “My internship was just like college, only better ... a bunch to Exploration Camps and field trips, Overnights, of history geeks in the same dorm, but no homework!” and special events, the Village offers lots of the result of last year’s hard work paid off in record-breaking attendance ways for kids to discover th at a number of our “signature” events, including July 4 fireworkS, history and themselves. redcOatS & rebelS, thingS that gO bump in the night, and chriStmaS by candlelight. in addition, we sold out all of our dinner in a cOuntry Village evenings, both eVening at the kiln events, and our special once-a-year eVening Of illuminatiOn. and thanks to sponsorship of a free fun friday event by the Highland street Foundation, we set a record for the largeSt Single-day attendance in the history of Old sturbridge village: more than 11,000 people visited the village on august 13, 2010. 7 Our new gallery exhibit last year, Old sturbridge village is uniquely mOre beautiful than any suited to celebrate the quality and Other: QuiltS frOm the Old durability in craftsmanship – skill, creativity, detail, excellence Sturbridge Village cOllectiOn, it’s something our historians marked the first time in more than and artisans do every day as they 10 years that rare quilts from the demonstrate blacksmithing, world-class Osv textile exhibit were pottery, printing, shoemaking, on display to the public. the oldest hearth cooking, and “tinning.” quilt in the exhibit dated to 1793, visitors can see firsthand the care and the exhibit title refers to a silver and quality that went into crafting medal-winning quilt made by a things in early new england. “Mrs. d. baker” judged to be “more beautiful than any other” Clockworks from a at an exhibition tall clock by Edward Moulton, of Rochester, held at Faneuil New Hampshire, This eight-pointed star quilt by Clarissa Moore of Eastford, Hall in boston circa 1810. Connecticut, dates to 1837 and was part of the exhibit, More Beautiful Than Any Other. Many New England in 1841. quilts were T-shaped to fit around bed posts. One of the year’s Cherry card table highlights was the Seeing good proportion appreciating proportion, by John Smith, acquisition of a beauty, quality, and durability circa 1795. and beauty finely crafted in craftsmanship is at the cherry table • heart of Osv’s curatorial made in 1795 Valuing quality and durability mission, and the museum’s by a young cabi- collection of artifacts has tens net maker, John in craftsmanship of thousands of antiques that smith, of barre, Massachusetts. meet those criteria. unfortunately, after 215 years and eight owners in due to space limitations, three states, the John smith card table finally came “home” to Osv. only 10% the table had been misidentified of our collection is on as Connecticut-made, and had exhibit in the village. languished in the Connecticut Historical society for the last 45 One of our priorities last year was years. We are grateful to the Osv to get more of our antiques out of Overseers, whose generosity Gilded tiara, circa 1820-1840. storage and on view to the public. allowed us to purchase the table. “They just don’t make them like they used to.” Valuing thrifty living in the spirit of thrifty living, one For me, these incongruous but ingenious way we have managed expenses is by like most of us, i have heard symbolize the partnering with experts to manage dozens of timeworn thrifty sayings key functions in the village rather throughout my life such as “waste Make-Do’s resourcefulness we than employing full-time staff.