The Rochester Museum & Science Center (RMSC), located in downtown Rochester, New York, is a cultural institution whose mission is “to stimulate broad community interest and understanding of science and technology, and their impact—past, present, future—on our lives.”  As part of its mission it maintains, cares for and provides community access, through exhibits, educational programming and research, to its collection of between 1.2 and 2 million objects and specimens.  It is an important and both scientifically and historically valuable collection that records the dynamic history of the region and speaks to its future.

WeatherstonBruer Associates were asked to prepare a study that assessed the Museum’s collection facility requirements and prepare alternative strategies for the future improvement of those facilities.  The study explored both consolidating and rationalizing the Museum’s collection activities within its main building and exploring options for development of an off-site collection facility.  On the basis of the work of this study the Museum obtained grants from both NEH and IMLS.

WeatherstonBruer is currently designing the new collection facility in the lower levels of the Bausch Wing of the Museum’s main building.