the concord museum
rasmussen education center
Concord, Massachusetts
“Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote “The reward of a thing well done is having done it.” To our building committee, architects, builders, craftsmen, and donors, we hope you are basking in the rewards...you deserve for having done something so immensely positive and promising.”
The Concord Museum is home to a treasured collection of Colonial American artifacts. The original structure dates to 1934, expended in 1991. The addition, however, did not address the shortcomings of the Davis Building, a freestanding barn that housed classrooms, storage, and administrative functions. Our work centered around the demolition of the Davis Building to allow for the addition of a new education center, as well as an interior renovation of the existing buildings.
The goals of the new the education center were to accommodate growth, unify the education and gallery experiences, and integrate functions in order to permit safe movement of collection, staff, and visitors throughout the complex. The resulting Rasmussen Education Center houses four learning spaces, a community lyceum, and a “link” gallery, with collections storage and administrative offices on the upper floors. The classrooms reinforce the museum’s focus on object-based learning, providing full-sensory educational experiences with features such as a real, wood-burning fireplace in the Colonial Cooking Classroom. The new wing is a fresh take on the former Davis barn, and intentionally distinct from the main complex. It references its agrarian New England context through the standing seam metal roof, white clapboards, and fieldstone base.
The Education Center served as a vital swing space to enable renovations throughout the remainder of the museum. The main entry was reconfigured as a “Gateway to Concord,” where the information desk and shop were merged and opened to create a more welcoming arrival sequence.
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Type: Renovation & Addition
Size: 12,000 SF
Status: Completed, 2018
Photography: Chuck Choi, Anton Grassl, Laura Kozlowski
impact
The Concord Museum hosts over 14,000 children annually, who participate in an array of hands-on educational programs to learn about Colonial American history. Through the Paul Revere’s Ride Fund, the museum is able to provide curriculum-based, hands-on education programs to students from underserved communities. Using these funds, the museum underwrites transportation and program expenses, providing a stimulating history learning experience completely free of charge for over 3,500 students per year who otherwise would not be able to access it. The Education Center’s community lyceum supports school groups, and a wide range of community events from film screenings to lectures. Additionally, the museum is a primary destination for visitors to the area, and is located along the Battle Road within walking distance to other historical sites, including the Old North Bridge, the Orchard House, and historic Concord Center.
