The following open letter to the public was written by Robin Tagliaferri, newly appointed Executive Director of Forbes House Museum. As part of the search process, the Board of Trustees requested a letter from each prospective candidate.
11 July 2010
To the Residents of Milton and Greater Boston:
It is with great respect for your community that I introduce myself as the new Executive Director of the Forbes House Museum.
I would like to begin a dialogue with you regarding the future of the Museum and how it can best serve you and your family.
It is part of the Museum’s mission to bring enrichment and learning to you and your family. My plan is to place the resources of the Forbes House Museum at your service, as we work to create new programs for the public, making it easier to access the Museum’s resources, collection and property.
As you know, the Museum has provided exceptional educational and cultural opportunities in Milton since 1964. The Board of Trustees have been dedicated stewards of local history thus far, and now we ask for your participation in taking the Museum to a new level. Together we will continue to explore the Forbes family history and tell Milton’s story.
Milton is a place of ingenuity and invention, the birthplace of historic foods, such as Bakers’ chocolate, Bent’s crackers, Thatcher Farm Dairy milk, and Howard Johnson’s ice cream. It is where Captain Robert Bennet Forbes made a tremendous contribution to the American China Trade. It is the location of valuable historic properties and the birthplace of a president. As the Museum works to preserve the Forbes family history, we shall simultaneously, through programs and special events, assist you to do the same. No history is too small; we will demonstrate that fact to you through innovative exhibits and educational opportunities. We hope you will give us another look and visit the Museum as often as possible. You may consider becoming active in the organization. As the weeks progress, we will inform you of opportunities for personal growth, historic exploration and plain ol’ enjoyment.
In short, I am the granddaughter of immigrants, trained as an artist and arts educator. I earned a BFA (Bachelor of Fine Art) and a MA in Art Education and Museum Studies from the Rhode Island School of Design. Along the way, I gained experience in non-profit administration, having worked at the Worcester Art Museum, DeCordova Museum, the RISD Museum, the Mount Washington Observatory and the Remick Country Doctor Museum & Farm in Tamworth, New Hampshire. Like you, I am a resilient New Englander, schooled to be resourceful. I am awe-struck by the personal history of individuals; the cultural and ethnic diversity of our region inspires me.
In my spare time, I enjoy gardening, cooking, knitting and drawing. To me, standing before a famous painting in a museum is thrilling, like a ball game at Fenway Park. It is exhilarating to saw a block of ice at an ice harvest festival or watch a wood fired evaporator boiling sap into maple syrup. There’s nothing like discovering a grandparent’s name on a passenger’s roster at Ellis Island, or sitting down to cream tea with friends on a Saturday afternoon. If you cannot find me, I am off to the country fair, gazing at Guernsey and Hereford cows, or combing the racks at a consignment shop.
Allow me to inform you before hand: I will introduce myself to you in the local bakery, gift shop or convenience store. In the coming months, I will be on a mission to find ways to serve you.
I welcome you and your family to rediscover one of Milton’s historic treasures, the Forbes House Museum. Call us for more information at (617) 696- 1815 and visit us on the Web at www.forbeshousemuseum.org.
Sincerely,
Robin M. Tagliaferri
Executive Director
Forbes House Museum
Upcoming Activities and Programs at Forbes House Museum:
The Forbes House Museum is open for tours on Saturdays and Wednesdays at 1pm, 2pm and 3pm beginning September 15, 2010. Sunday tours, offered at 1pm, 2pm and 3pm, will be added to the tour schedule after Columbus Day, beginning October 17, 2010.
The Museum will offer four new programs beginning in fall 2010: The Dorothy Murray Docent Program; the FHM Internship Program; the K-12 Outreach Program; and the Curriculum Writing Project.
The Dorothy Murray Docent Program prepares adults for a flexible volunteer position as a museum tour guide. The FHM Internship program is a new initiative, seeking energetic college undergraduate and graduate students who are eager to work in an historic house museum. The K-12 Outreach Program will provide presentations to students in the classroom. The Curriculum Writing Project will partner with K-12 school educators in Milton and Greater Boston to create interdisciplinary units of instruction based on the museum and its collection.
To obtain more information about the Museum and its programs, contact our office at (617) 696- 1815 or visit our website at www.forbeshousemuseum.org. Admission to the FHM is $8 for adults and $5 for seniors and students; children under age 5 are free. Museum is located at 215 Adams Street, Milton, MA. The Museum grounds are open to the public free of charge daily from dawn to dusk.