Recently the Garibaldi-Meucci Museum was the recipient of a $5,000 grant from Richmond County Savings Foundation. The funds were used to purchase two 50" TV monitors for the Garibaldi Room and the art gallery on the first floor. The installation was done by Sound Fantasy of Staten Island.
These monitors are enabling the museum to enhance visitor experience and expand audience size. Each museum tour includes the screening of a film about the life of Antonio Meucci, and now visitors see it on a large, beautiful high definition screen. The monitors are also compatible with any computer, so powerpoint presentations and DVDs can easily be shown as well.
Once audio equipment is installed, having a second screen in the art gallery will enable any overflow crowd to see and hear what is being presented in the larger Garibaldi Room, increasing the potential audience size by half.
"With the state of the economy and all the cutbacks we've had over the past year or so, we are especially grateful to Richmond County for this funding. These monitors will allow us to work smarter and cut costs while we continue to bring quality programs to our visitors," said Museum Director Nicole Fenton.
Over the next few months, the museum staff hopes to inaugurate a series of "satellite" programs. Presenters will be "brought" to the museum via the Internet, viewed on the monitors.
For more information call 718-442-1608. The Garibaldi-Meucci Museum is owned and operated by the Order Sons of Italy in America.
The Garibaldi-Meucci Museum was the home of Antonio Meucci, the true inventor of the telephone, and a refuge to Giuseppe Garibaldi, the legendary hero who championed the unification of Italy. For over 50 years the museum has fulfilled its mission to preserve the legacies of these great men, and to promote understanding of the Italian-American heritage through cultural, artistic and educational programs and classes.
Regular museum hours are 1 p.m.-5 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday. Admission is $5 per person, members and children under 10 are free. Call ahead for groups of 10 or more. The first floor of the museum is wheelchair accessible, but the restroom is on the second floor. At press time, program funding has been provided through the Order Sons of Italy in America; by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council; the Office of the Staten Island Borough President, Richmond County Savings Foundation; Northfield Bank Foundation, and by grants allocated by New York State Senator Diane Savino and New York City Council members Vincent Ignizio and James Oddo.
