Darlington Museum of History & Fine Arts Carnegie Library Building

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1 Darlington Museum of History & Fine Arts Carnegie Library Building

2 History of the Carnegie Library Built in 1920 through Carnegie Foundation funding as the original Darlington library Expanded in 1939 to its current 6,800 sq. ft. through WPA funds Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in the St. John s Historic District

3 History of the Carnegie Library Vacant since late 1980s when the new library was constructed City acquired in 2002 City Council voted to name the facility the Darlington Museum of History & Fine Arts in 2007

4 Hartsville Museum Established ,525 sq. ft. of space Housed in 1930s Post Office, which the City leases from the Hartsville Building Commission Funded by Museum Foundation and the City $113,000 annual budget 2 Full-time and 1 Parttime staff plus 2 Saturday interns and volunteers

5 S.C. Tobacco Museum in Mullins Established 1998 Housed in a historic train depot that is privately owned, leased by the City Funded by the City $44,262 annual budget 1 Full-time director, 1 PT plus volunteer docents Charges a $1 admission Average visitors monthly People travel to see this museum (21 countries)

6 Horry County Museum Established 1979 Relocating to a 28,000 sq. ft. historic school in Conway Funded by the County, renovations funded by a $5 million G.O. bond in 2005 plus $1.5 M in capital funds during construction $481,476 annual budget 5 Full-time and 1 PT staff plus volunteers

7 Bean Market in Lake City Originally planned as a museum, the 1936 structure serves as a multi-purpose cultural and community center downtown. 10,000 sq. ft. space Funded by the Community Museum Society Inc., a nonprofit group that has a $800,000 annual budget for its multiple facilities 3 Full-time and 4 PT staff Generates $25,000 to $40,000 per year

8 Lawton Park Pavilion in Hartsville Built in 1938 by WPA City launched its current state in 2008 after a $500,000 renovation 2,000 sq. ft. main floor Revenue: $10,850 Expenses: $14,747 1 Full-time staff member spends about 20 hrs./week City provides tables and chairs for event 80% of rentals are personal parties

9 Current Floor Plan

10 Accessibility Improvements Sidewalk Install Lift Cut out brick Level floor Widen door

11 Renovations ADA Accessibility, including lift and sidewalk, $35,000 Flooring, $3,000 Bathrooms, $14,000 Kitchen, $15,000 Electrical and HVAC work almost complete Does not include ground floor Total about $60,000

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15 Facility Use Option 1: Museum Pros Serve as draw to downtown Contribute to community pride Generate tourist traffic Give Darlington a place to showcase its history Cons Ongoing costs of FT staff and changing exhibits Initial expense of exhibits and display cases or movable walls for art Most museums are not rental facilities, so there is limited revenue

16 Facility Use Option 2: Rental Facility Pros Provide the community the opportunity to have functions in the City Could easily transition to other uses Generate some revenue to help pay for its expenses Utilizes the building and allows the public to access it Cons Ongoing costs of PT staff Building only accessible during events Initial investment in a catering kitchen and/or tables and chairs

17 Facility Use Option 3: Welcome Center Pros Provide the community the opportunity to have functions in the City Could easily transition to other uses Generate some revenue to help pay for its expenses Utilizes the building and allows the public to access it Cons Ongoing costs of PT staff Initial investment in a catering kitchen and/or tables and chairs Cost of installing exhibit space to utilize the original shelving that surround the space

18 Sample Budgets 90% of museums do not make a profit. Grants, foundations, fundraising, or municipal funds keep their doors open.

19 Other Considerations Fundraising Feasibility Study completed in 2008 includes a 12- to 18-month capital fundraising campaign plan that is still relevant and usable today. Lack of Community Support While this is seen as an issue on the financial side, 72% of those surveyed during that 2008 study said the project was important and worthwhile

20 Other Considerations Costs The City has spent roughly $200,000 in general funds and $300,000 in state and federal grants to stabilize the building around and $42,000 in hospitality funds for the HVAC and electrical work already. Historic Preservation Grants These competitive federal grants require a 50% cash match and consider a total project cost of $40,000 to be large.

21 Other Considerations Strategic plan of a museum, its mission, and its exhibits to reflect the entire community Management of collections and protection against loss Role of original museum committee, if any Leadership Need the commitment and support of Council for the project to be successful whichever direction you take Must be seen as a use for the good of the community as a whole, not one individual or segment of the City

22 Questions?