It’s been a while since we produced an episode of the PEMcast.
As your co-hosts, Chip Van Dyke and I are back with a story about PEM’s next chapter. At 220 years old, the museum’s leadership and staff are taking a breather to figure out what’s next. The museum has been on a 26-year campaign to raise money, to grow and expand. This episode leads us through key moments this fall in the opening of our new 40,000 square-foot wing with staff reflections and PEM’s new director, Brian Kennedy, sharing his thoughts on how he will involve the community at large to move PEM forward.
It’s been a lot of work for our staff over the last few months as we prepared for the new wing opening, but camaraderie has been built.
© 2019 Peabody Essex Museum. Photography by Bob Packert/PEM.
Brian Kennedy speaks to the staff on his first day. © 2019 Peabody Essex Museum. Photography by Kathy Tarantola/PEM.
In September, Brian led the community in replacing a two-ton anchor that had lived in front of East India Marine Hall since 1906. It was removed for construction and came back to much fanfare.
Fifteen thousand people from the community passed through our doors over a four-day opening celebration.
A crowd of PEM staff and local residents gathers for the group shot. © 2019 Peabody Essex Museum. Photography by Kathy Tarantola/PEM.
Fifteen thousand people from the community passed through our doors over a four-day opening celebration.
Brian has asked the staff to think like the museum’s founders, to be bold, to be curious. To connect the global beginnings of our museum with the local community around us. Moving in concentric circles from the heart of the museum, we are in the process of engaging the entire PEM community to map the future of one of the oldest and fastest growing museums in the country.
We hope you’ll visit us in person. We want to hear from you. Write to us at pemcast@pem.org.
PEM's conservation team works on the museum's beloved Rush figurehead for the new maritime gallery. © Peabody Essex Museum. Photography by Bob Packert/PEM.
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