Mansion Galleries Construction to Begin

In 1990, the public rooms of George Eastman’s mansion were painstakingly restored to provide visitors with the experience of seeing his home as it was during his life. Over the last decade, our museum has invested more than $5 million in the preservation of his residence and estate. Yet, our institution has never presented a long-term exhibition about the inventor, entrepreneur, and philanthropist himself. As I have previously reported, we are developing an exhibition that will present contemporary views of George Eastman that are relevant to a broad audience, including students and those whom our museum has historically underserved. We have conducted (and continue to conduct) community surveys to understand people’s interests, perceptions, and misperceptions related to Eastman. A team of curators and archivists are currently researching and developing the future exhibition, which will include historic objects, multimedia interactives, a new docent tour and multiple audio tours, and educational packages for school groups and families. This exhibition will transform our visitors’ experience and our museum’s ability to serve our diverse community.

To accommodate this new exhibition, we will create seven new galleries in currently unrestored spaces on the first and second floor of the mansion. Entering a suite of three first-floor galleries directly from the Bruce B. Bates Colonnade, visitors will be introduced to Eastman and his estate before they enter the restored interior of his mansion. The exhibition about Eastman will continue in three galleries on the second floor. A final, seventh gallery will present objects from our technology collection that show the evolution of popular photography— from the first Kodak camera model (1888) to current handheld devices—which has now realized Eastman’s ultimate goal to “make the camera as convenient as the pencil.” The construction project will include key accessibility improvements in the mansion— a self-service elevator and an accessible lavatory on the first floor.

This project was launched after a generous donation from Thomas Tischer enabled us to engage LaBella Associates as the architects. Their design achieves our goals of creating seven new galleries and improving accessibility without disrupting the restored areas of the mansion. I am thrilled to announce that the construction phase of this transformative project will begin this September and willbe completed by May 2025. Pike Construction Services will be the general contractor. During the demolition stage of the construction—when it will be especially noisy—the mansion will be closed to the public from September 24 through November 8. Our annual Sweet Creations exhibition will open on Saturday, November 9. 

We are especially grateful to those who have supported this project with grants, contributions, and pledges of $100,000 or more: the New York State Council on the Arts; Thomas Tischer; Empire State Development; the Lisk Morris Foundation; board chair Nannette Nocon and Nocon & Associates, a private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC; and a benevolent anonymous donor. Recent major commitments from Thomas Tischer, Nocon & Associates, and an anonymous donor have enabled us to avoid postponing construction and to proceed now.

The expected cost of the design and construction of the renovations and the development and installation of the exhibition is $4.6 million. We have raised more than $3.3 million, and our fundraising efforts continue. A successful campaign to raise the remaining $1.3 million is needed to fully achieve our vision for the long-term exhibition New Perspectives on George Eastman, which will truly transform our museum. We hope that you will consider making a special contribution to our campaign—and investing in the George Eastman Museum’s continued progress. 

For more information on opportunities to support this milestone project, please contact Lisa Seischab at (585) 327-4942 or [email protected].

Bruce Barnes, PhD

Ron and Donna Fielding Director

September/October 2024 Bulletin