Pawling Community Foundation Grant

Pawling Community Foundation grant received Akin Hall Association has received a grant from the Pawling Community Foundation support the stabilization of the Natural history collections in the Gunnison Museum at Akin Free Library. In the grant application, Curator Terry Ariano stated immediate goals for the Library to
include completing “an ongoing inventory of the building contents, to provide proper conservation and care of the on-site collections and to stabilize the natural history exhibits.” Funding was specifically requested “to upgrade the display and care of the Gunnison Natural History Museum collections. These collections are in dire need of stabilization and cleaning to preserve them for present and future generations to view.”

Pawling Community Foundation awarded $2500 to support this process. Work has began on replacing broken glass in cases, and opening cases to clean and stabilize objects. The collection was donated to Akin Free Library in 1961 by Olive Gunnison, a Quaker Hill resident who amassed the group of over 6500 objects on view during her lifetime of collecting. The work to clean and stabilize objects and improve environmental conditions in the Museum is expected to take several years, and the grant is welcome support for this ongoing process. In addition, Olive’s granddaughter Alice has donated funds towards the process. “It is rewarding that the Pawling Community Foundation recognizes the importance of the Akin Free Library in the community, and specifically the Gunnison Museum of Natural History,” said Ariano. “This collection draws visitors from around the country to see its unusual specimens. Local residents, visitors and school groups return repeatedly to view and study the amazing collections. We are so grateful for the PCF support.”