Intercollegiate Museum of Arts and Sciences - City Hall

[Shepard]

Mayor Menino has said he wants to vacate City Hall. His successor will likely want to as well. Nobody seems to like the surrounding plaza. Generally, though, many seem uneasy about the idea of demolishing the building itself.

Here's a proposal for adaptive reuse... building on Boston's strengths, and enlivening the former Scollay Square neighborhood of downtown...

http://intermuseum.wordpress.com/

Ideally I would like to get some notables offering testimonials/support to the idea, and some press coverage as a result. It may be far-fetched, but can we inject optimism and civic pride into the often gloomy world of Boston development news? I think we can.

Looking forward to hearing what you think. And if you want to help build out an actually functional webpage or help with any PR effort, I've set up an email address: intercollegiatemuseum@gmail.com (or pm me here).

[Pierce]

Mayor Menino has said he wants to vacate City Hall. His successor will likely want to as well. Nobody seems to like the surrounding plaza. Generally, though, many seem uneasy about the idea of demolishing the building itself.

Here's a proposal for adaptive reuse... building on Boston's strengths, and enlivening the former Scollay Square neighborhood of downtown...

http://intermuseum.wordpress.com/

Ideally I would like to get some notables offering testimonials/support to the idea, and some press coverage as a result. It may be far-fetched, but can we inject optimism and civic pride into the often gloomy world of Boston development news? I think we can.

Looking forward to hearing what you think. And if you want to help build out an actually functional webpage or help with any PR effort, I've set up an email address: intercollegiatemuseum@gmail.com (or pm me here).

interesting idea-- timely, I think Brandeis would be interested in discussing, though Harvard and Wellesley have a considerable investment in their museum infrastructure, MIT less so, and those would be key players who may not be willing to play.

I still like the idea (I think proposed somewhere on AB) of a museum of design, something on which Boston undersells itself. So many of the great design thinkers of the last century have some tie to Boston or Cambridge, and for any architect/landscape architect/planner trying to get into the top ranks of design practice or theory teaching/lecturing at MIT and Harvard is still a rite of passage. I think the idea has been pitched in this forum for it to become a museum of design, i would love to see that focus come forward, especially in a building that has been such a huge talking point of design in the city for decades.

Likewise it could be a museum of art in boston in the 20th century, incorporating design, music, theater, photography, literature etc. Maybe a musuem to Boston's golden age in the 19th century, an increasingly needed public reminder of when the term "Hub of the Universe" wasn't a joke.

Anyway, not to steal your thunder, it just got me thinking. I support viable idea that keeps it from being torn down. (Though I thoroughly reject the notion of a new harborfront city hall disconnected from a subway line--better it be in dudley square or one of the many holes on the main peninsula...

[JohnAKeith]

So is it a private museum or a public museum? Having the city as a landlord would present obvious problems, mainly the programming and content choices.

How much "usable" space would be available in the IMAS-CH? How does this compare to other museums? How do you get past the fact that much of it is office space with low ceilings?

What about sharing the space with other museums? Is this an option? Is it possible? Is it preferable? I assume most museums want complete control over 100% of its space. If the new museum is willing to share, then you could have a separate design museum and you could also make room for the Boston History Museum, too.

Also, about the public/private thing, other museums (ICA, MFA) may be a little angry that a public museum is being subsidized while they have to fend for themselves.

Could the BSA have moved there instead of Atlantic Wharf?

[vanshnookenraggen]

I would love to see a museum with a section dedicated to the hardcore scene.

[Beton Brut]

Van, you oughta pick up a copy of this book (http://www.amazon.com/Sound-Our-Town-Brett-Milano/dp/1933212306/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1294884663&sr=8-1).