Although the Main House, also known as Coe Hall, has been closed for tours this winter, the museum staff has been as active as ever!
A lot of work goes into the preservation of this historic house museum. On any given day, you will find Lucas Francy, Maintenance Technician, keeping the rooms free of dust and debris. This includes cleaning the 375 windows of the house! Our Collections and Exhibitions Manager, Emily Leger, can also be found polishing the silver, taking inventory of the collections, and using a specialized vacuum to clean the curtains and upholstered furniture.
This winter, our team also assembled a Collections Emergency Kit. Thanks to a generous grant from the Greater Hudson Heritage Network, we were able to create a stockpile of supplies that will help us in case of an incident such as a burst water pipe, broken window, or emergencies of greater magnitudes. Although these supplies will not be used every day, they play a vital role in the Foundation’s disaster preparedness and response efforts. Collections emergencies can vary in severity, and sometimes Collections staff are not on site when disaster strikes. Combined with proper training, having a kit like this with essential supplies ensures that we are prepared to respond to emergencies of all different sizes. Click here to learn about how you can salvage your own family’s treasure in case of a disaster.
Especially when it comes to protecting our collection, we know that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. When the museum is closed, we use our time wisely by making sure our staff is up to date on emergency protocols, double checking that our supplies are well stocked, and staying on top of caring for our building and collections.
We look forward to welcoming you back to the Main House this spring!
Emily Leger, Collections and Exhibitions Manager
Special thanks to Greater Hudson Heritage Network!
