IMLS Director visits Museum

Saturday, February 6, 2010 was an early morning for the board and staff of the Northwest Railway Museum. Dr. Anne Radice, Director of the Institute for Museum and Library Services (“IMLS”) in Washington, DC, was in Seattle and was able to schedule a visit to the Northwest Railway Museum at 7:30 AM.

IMLS is an agency of the Federal government supporting libraries and museums across the United States. With an annual budget of more than $265 million, they are the largest Federal agency supporting museums and libraries.

The Dr. Radice and the IMLS staff selected Chapel Car 5 Messenger of Peace for funding from the Save America’s Treasures program they manage in collaboration with the National Park Service and other Federal agencies. This visited represented an opportunity to view the Chapel Car before work begins, and to see the facilities where it will be rehabilitated and exhibited.

Dr. Radice began her visit promptly at 7:30 touring the Snoqualmie Depot, White River caboose 001 and the Chapel Car. She and her special assistant Betsy M. traveled in locomotive 4012 to the Conservation and Restoration Center where she met several key staff members and several members of the Museum’s Board of Trustees including President Susan H., Treasurer Jon B., and Secretary Sue S. We were also delighted to have Snoqualmie Mayor Matt Larson present to represent the community and the Museum (Matt is an ex officio member of the Museum’s board and participates in most meetings). Matt was able to give Dr. Radice a brief overview of the downtown redevelopment efforts and how they cohesively link the Museum with the community. While at the CRC, Dr. Radice also visited the construction site of the new Train Shed exhibit building.

Dr. Radice was intrigued by the Museum and had many great and helpful suggestions. She confessed that as a little girl she had a classic American Flyer train set, and that as an adult she often rides Amtrak in the Northeast corridor. When she visited the Depot Bookstore, she could not resist buying a model of Chapel Car 5.

The Museum is honored to have welcomed Dr. Radice for a tour and we are delighted our community is able to attract her interest.

(Shown in photo, left to right, Honorable Matt Larson, Mayor of Snoqualmie; Richard R. Anderson, Executive Director of the Northwest Railway Museum; and Dr. Anne Radice, Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services.)