Norman Rockwell Museum Receives Massachusetts Cultural Facilities Fund Award for Capital Investments

Stockbridge, MA, May 26, 2017—Norman Rockwell Museum is receiving a grant of $125,000 from the Massachusetts Cultural Facilities Fund Program (CFF) towards capital improvements. Grant awardees were officially announced on Thursday, May 18, by Governor Charlie Baker and the Massachusetts Cultural Council. The Museum is one of 61 grant recipients across the Commonwealth to receive CFF funds, including several other Berkshire cultural organizations.

“We are delighted to receive this most wonderful news from Massachusetts Cultural Council and Governor Baker,” says Museum Director Laurie Norton Moffatt. “As the Museum facility approaches 25 years, these state funds enable us to make vital improvements and renovations that are beyond our annual operations budget.”

Norman Rockwell Museum will apply the state grant toward upgrading its fire-security system and wiring, and making numerous improvements in the galleries and other public spaces. The grant also supports needed repairs to Norman Rockwell’s Studio.

All projects focus on safeguarding the Museum’s Norman Rockwell collections and enhancing the safety and positive experience of its visitors. This year, more than 130,000 people from around the world will have visited the campus – an increase over last year.

Although most work will be completed throughout the year, several projects are already underway and will be completed before the Museum’s busiest visitor season. All CFF grants are dispersed after work is complete, and require a dollar-for dollar match.

Massachusetts CFF grants have supported numerous projects on the Museum campus over the last decade, totaling more than $1 million. This includes making Norman Rockwell’s studio ADA-compliant and residing the 150-year old structure, replacing the Museum’s chiller system, and building a new stone terrace “gateway” with an underground ice-melt system.