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FRIENDS OF THE AMERICAN MUSEUM IN BRITAIN
Friends of the American Museum in Britain engages Americans in the museum's mission of bringing American history and cultures to the people of Britain and Europe through its collection of folk and decorative arts, as well as temporary exhibits. Friends of the American Museum in Britain and the Halcyon Foundation provide a vital source of financial support to the museum through US memberships and donations.
FRIENDS OF AMIB AT A GLANCE
A Bit of Background
The American Museum in Britain showcases American traditions through collections of folk and decorative arts. As the only museum of Americana outside the United States, it was originally founded to bring American history and cultures to the people of Britain and Europe.
Friends of the American Museum in Britain provide vital funding to the Museum, allowing them to acquire and preserve objects in their collections. In return for their membership subscription, members receive a range of benefits that bring them closer to the museum.
BACKGROUND
The American Museum in Britain
Founded in 1961, The American Museum in Britain showcases American traditions through collections of folk and decorative arts. As the only museum of Americana outside the United States, it was originally founded to bring American history and cultures to the people of Britain and Europe.
History
Inspired by living history museums in the United States, Dr. Dallas Pratt and John Judkyn considered establishing a Museum of Americana in Britain. The Museum opened to the public in 1961, and was established with the help of Dr. Dallas Pratt, an American psychiatrist and collector, John Judkyn, a British-born antiques dealer, Nick Bell Knight, a furniture restorer, and Ian McCallum, the Museum's first Director. Collecting for the Museum began in 1958, and nearly a half century later, the Museum remains the only museum outside the United States to showcase the decorative arts of America.
Mission
The mission of Friends of the American Museum in Britain is to raise awareness of the Museum among Americans in the United States in order to reach the financial and collecting goals of the museum. Friends of the American Museum in Britain and the Halcyon Foundation provide a vital source of financial support to the museum through US memberships and donations, allowing the museum to acquire and preserve objects in their collections.
PROGRAMS
The American Museum in Britain relies on generous support of its friends in order to mount new exhibitions, care for priceless collections, and run a considerable country house and a 125 acre estate. Friends of the American Museum in Britain provides a vital source of financial support for the museum.
US Friends Membership
Benefits for US Friends include:
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Free admission to the Museum and gardens during open season and Christmas festivities
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Invitations to private views
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Museum calendar of events and magazines
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10% discount in the Museum shops
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Use of the Museum's library devoted to American history and decorative arts
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Access to a variety of activities in the United States including: lectures, theatre events, Insider Tours, workshops, and behind-the-scenes talks
Friend Membership Categories:
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Individual: $75
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Joint/Family: $100
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Associate: $250
Reach us for more information
US Patron Membership
Benefits for US Patrons include:
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Free admission tot he Museum and gardens during open season and Christmas festivities
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Invitations to private views
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Museum calendar of events and magazines
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10% discount in the Museum shops
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Use of the Museum's library devoted to American history and decorative arts
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Access to a variety of activities in the United States including: lectures, theatre events, Insider Tours, workshops, and behind-the-scenes talks
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Special recognition in the Museum's Spring edition of America in Britain
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Priority status for Insider's Tours, lectures, and benefit functions
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Use of the Museum's Airlie-Judkyn Suite in Claverton Manor
Patron Membership Categories:
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Supporter: $500
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Contributor: $1,000
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Sponsor: $5,000
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Benefactor: $10,000
Notables explain why they rate the Museum so highly
LOOK WHO SUPPORTS THE MUSEUM...
KAFFE FASSETT
Textile Designer and Artist
"I have been visiting the American Museum since the early 1960s and have always been inspired by its wonderful historic textile collection, especially the many bold and beautiful quilts on display. This internationally renowned collection of superlative quilts is not only a fantastic collection of art and craft, but also a source of inspiration for all artists and generations of artists to come."
SIR CHRISTOPHER MEYER
Former British Ambassador to the United States
"The American Museum in Britain opens a window on the United States to reveal a world at one and the same time intimately familiar to the British eye and yet already acquiring the characteristics of a separate and sometimes alien nation. Through a superb collection of decorative art from the colonial era and early years of independence, Claverton Manor enlightens the curious visitor and deeply satisfies the historian."
TRACY CHEVALIER
Author and Patron
"The textile collection at the American Museum is a stunner. I went to see it when I was researching my novel The Last Runaway, which features 19th-century quilt making. It helped me to see American quilts up close, and I was astonished at the quality of the collection. We are lucky to have at hand such a wide range of beautifully made quilts."
BEL MOONEY
Journalist, Author, and Patron
"I have delighted in the American Museum for thirty years and love its eclectic mix of objects, furniture and works of art. It is impossible to imagine anybody not enjoying a visit, whatever their age or interests. The house and setting are magnificent, the welcome from knowledgeable staff and volunteers always warm. What’s more, the changing exhibition programme and unusual (often light-hearted) events make the American Museum a venue worth visiting again and again. Truly it is a jewel in Britain’s crown and a living testimony to the ‘special relationship’ which means so much to all those who (like me) love the peoples and cultures of the United States."
ANDREA WULF
Award-Winning Garden Historian
"What a wonderful gem the American Museum in Bath is – and what a surprise. Nestled in England’s green and rolling landscape it’s a slice of Americana. Wander from period rooms to folk art, and then step into George Washington’s gardens at Mount Vernon. Marvellous."
EVENTS
Insider Tour: Barbados
We are excited to bring you the Insiders' trip that has it all. Beautiful beaches, private visits to houses and gardens, racing at the Turf Club, wonderful food and drinks, as well as trips accompanies by the General Manager of the National Trust of Barbados. Our accommodations are SUITES at the deluxe Cobbler's Cove. Contact us for more information!
October 26-31, 2017
Showing of Hamilton in London
In need of Thanksgiving plans? We have 20 house seats for "Hamilton" in London on November 25th, 2017. For those joining us, we have plans Friday night, November 24th, to see "Follies" in a revival that has set house records at the National Theatre.
November 25, 2017
Showing of Farinelli and the King
Sir Mark Rylance returns to Broadway in December after his sold out performance in London of "Farinelli and the King." We have house seats available for January 11, 2018. Message or call for more details!
January 11, 2018
Contact us for more information on upcoming events!
PUBLICATIONS FOR PURCHASE
The Halcyon Foundation has numerous publications available for purchase.
Growing Up Bookish: An Anglo-American Memoir
Richard Wendorf has been an innovative institutional leader ever since he took on his first professional directorship, at Harvard, in the late 1980s. In this lively and elegantly written memoir, he charts the unpredictable and often serendipitous ways in which he moved beyond his Midwestern upbringing and made his mark first as a student, then as a scholar and teacher, and finally as the director of three prestigious - and very different - institutions: the Houghton Library, the Boston Athenaeum, and the American Museum in Britain.
Dallas Pratt: A Patchwork Biography
Dallas Pratt (August 21, 1914 - May 20, 1994) was an American psychiatrist, animal rights campaigner and founder of the American Museum in Britain.
SUPPORT US
Friends of the American Museum in Britain and the Halcyon Foundation provide a vital source of financial support to the museum through US memberships and donations. US citizens can make a tax deductible contribution to the American Museum in Britain through the Halcyon Foundation which is a 501(c)(3) organization.
Make a Donation
Help Us Soar
It costs $4,424 a day to run the American Museum in Britain, a UK registered charity. But it receives no UK or American government funding and is totally dependent on the generosity of individuals and organizations for its survival. Your support can ensure we can continue to welcome you as a visitor and offer an exciting range of exhibitions, events, lectures, and learning programs.
Current projects the Museum is raising funds for include: refurbishment of the Textile room, the expansion of American gardens, and conservation of objects in the collection.
Become a Member
Show Your Support
The American Museum in Britain relies on generous support of its friends in order to mount new exhibitions, care for priceless collections, and run a considerable country house and a 125 acre estate. Friends of the American Museum in Britain provides a vital source of financial support for the museum. Becoming a member opens you up to an array of various benefits, including attending events in the United States.
(212) 370-0198
Halcyon Foundation
555 Fifth Avenue, 17th Floor
New York NY 10017
CONTACT US
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