Fuller Craft Museum announces $1 million renovation after anonymous gift

Fuller Craft Museum in Brockton has received an anonymous gift of $1 million.

The donation is among the largest in the museum’s 55-year history and will be used to restore and update the museum’s exterior and facilities.

“Our building was built in 1969. And many of our systems are still in large part original to the building. We've never had any major wholesale replacement of our systems. And as you can imagine that's a hindrance to a museum,” said executive director Erin McGough in an interview with WBUR.

Fuller Craft Museum has a familiar New England wooden exterior known as cedar shake siding. This style of siding has benefits of being eco-friendly, but as many local homeowners are well aware, it also requires the occasional replacement (typically every two to four decades). McGough says that restoring the museum’s exterior is overdue. “They've been replaced in some places, but the large share of our shakes are original to 1969. It gives credit to the craftsmanship of the original shake makers.”

Replacing the exterior with new cedar will initially alter the look of the museum (as well as give the exterior a pleasant smell for some time), but as McGough notes, the changes will be temporary. “It will drastically change the look in the short term because we're going to have fresh new shakes on the side, but over time they will weather back,” she said.

“Cedar shakes are quite expensive to replace, especially when you're talking about the number that we have to replace,” said McGough, adding that the siding is an integral part of the organic, natural look of the 20,000 square foot museum.

In addition to new roof and siding, the donation will also allow for an investment in a new HVAC system, which plays a crucial role in art preservation. “Museums are obligated to try to maintain certain levels of humidity and temperature control for the safety of the objects that are on display,” she said, also noting that a new HVAC system has the added benefit of making the museum a more comfortable place for its visitors.

The museum made admission free to the public in 2020, and most of its revenue comes from voluntary donations from visitors as well as donations. Since Fuller Craft won’t have to dip into its own pockets for this renovation, it frees up the museum to spend its funds on programming and commissions.

A new exhibit by local artist Maria Molteni opens this weekend at Fuller Craft Museum. (Read more about Maria Molteni’s “Soft Score” and other Boston-are art exhibits opening this winter in WBUR’s seasonal arts guide.)