Senate Resolution No. 1935

BY: Senator STEWART-COUSINS

COMMEMORATING the 100th Anniversary of the Hudson
River Museum

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that the quality
of life of the citizens of the State of New York is greatly enriched by
its exceptional cultural, educational and recreational institutions; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the Hudson River Museum; and

WHEREAS, The Hudson River Museum is a preeminent cultural
institution situated on the banks of the Hudson River in Yonkers, New
York, in Westchester County; and

WHEREAS, Founded by a group of local citizens and artists known as
the Yonkers Art Association in 1919, what was then known as the Yonkers
Museum began as a collection of minerals donated by Edwin C. Mott, which
were first displayed in Yonkers City Hall; and

WHEREAS, During this time, the collection grew rapidly, and after
just two years, the museum expanded its plans to include an exhibition
of artworks; in 1924, the museum was moved to Glenview, a Gilded Age
mansion purchased by the City of Yonkers; and

WHEREAS, In this new home, the museum, renamed the Yonkers Museum of
Sciences and Arts, attracted a steady stream of visitors from Yonkers
and the surrounding area; and

WHEREAS, Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, significant new donations
of American art, including Jasper F. Cropsey's painting "The Narrows at
Lake George", 1888, as well as robust science and art education
programs, brought in enthusiastic audiences; and

WHEREAS, As a sign of deepening ties to the region, the museum
changed its name to the Hudson River Museum of Yonkers in 1948; a few
years later, in 1956, a planetarium was installed in the Glenview dining
room, demonstrating the museum's commitment to advancing public
understanding of the cosmos; and

WHEREAS, The Hudson River Museum, in need of more exhibition space,
opened a modern wing in 1969, with 15,000 square feet of gallery space
and a new, state-of-the-art planetarium; five years later, the museum
was accredited by the American Association of Museums, a mark of
excellence it has retained ever since; and

WHEREAS, In 1979, renowned pop artist Red Grooms created The
Bookstore, a dazzling sculpto-pictorama installation that deftly joins
two favorite haunts of New York City book lovers-the Isaac Mendoza Book
Company and the Pierpont Morgan Library-into a work of art; the
Bookstore served as the museum's gift shop for the next 30 years, and
after extensive conservation, it was reinstalled in its own gallery in
2008; and


WHEREAS, The Hudson River Museum drew closer to the community in the
1980s, offering nearby magnet schools curriculum-based programming and
training local citizens to help interpret the museum for visitors of all
ages; and

WHEREAS, The Docent Program, a rigorous program which trains adults
to give guided tours of the collection and special exhibitions, was then
formed and has since become an integral part of the museum today with
more than 40 active docents; and

WHEREAS, In 1995, the Hudson River Museum began teaching critical
thinking and interpretation skills to Yonkers high school students in
the Junior Docent Program; to date, more than 400 young adults have
graduated from the program, equipped with a deeper understanding of the
arts and sciences, and the necessary communication, critical thinking,
and leadership skills to succeed in college and the workplace; and

WHEREAS, A magnificently restored Glenview reopened to the public in
1999; the enormous, multi-year effort, which reproduced the mansion's
original grandeur inside and out, received the National Victorian
Society in America Award; and

WHEREAS, In 2003, the museum opened Hudson Riverama, a multimedia
environmental teaching gallery about the history and ecosystem of the
Hudson River; central to the installation is a three-dimensional
topographical model of the river which enables visitors to locate
natural and man-made landmarks; and

WHEREAS, In the summer of 2013, the museum expanded its programming
to include free performances of music, drama, and dance when it opened a
400-seat amphitheater; furthermore, stargazers continue to be awed by
the museum's upgraded full-dome digital planetarium, dedicated in 2014,
which can project up to 20 million stars; and

WHEREAS, Today, the Hudson River Museum is known for imaginative,
thought-provoking exhibitions of contemporary and historical art, its
evolving permanent collection and ongoing restoration and interpretation
of Glenview Mansion, groundbreaking exhibits about regional history, and
hands-on science and art programs for all ages; and

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body that when
institutions of such noble aims and accomplishments are brought to our
attention, they should be recognized and applauded by all the citizens
of this great Empire State; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the Hudson River Museum; and be it
further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to the Hudson River Museum, Yonkers, New York.