2023 MoH Annual Report

January 1, 2023-December 31, 2023

Find Your Space

Chairman’s Letter

This year, we worked to refresh and enliven the MoH indoors and out.

We began 2023 with ambitious plans— to increase engagement and retention through innovative, time-tested programs that attract audiences, engage community, and spark connections; to deepen relationships and collaboration through mutually beneficial partnerships that leverage resources and expertise to benefit the public; and to build resilience and capacity through streamlined practices in all areas of management and operations. These three strategies are at the core of our new strategic plan, based on which we undertook a number of major initiatives, dedicating ourselves with great sincerity and perseverance. We are proud to report the year’s successes.

In 2023 the MoH:

• Completed the first pass of our new strategic plan. We focused on the three overarching strategies—which honor the MoH’s exemplary past and advance Its vision and mission—and

accomplished specific tactical work within them in the areas of Programs, People and Practices.

 Introduced new exhibits, programming, and collection highlights. We continued with our ”tried and true” annual events and presented a full schedule of exhibitions, performances, and other special events throughout the year.

 Initiated an annual membership drive that produced over $14,000 in memberships and represented a new revenue stream which aligned with our strategy.

 Partnered with other local museums to launch a museum consortium and continued the partnership with several collaborations.

 Unveiled our Oklahoma! Exhibit that highlighted our restored Surrey with the Fringe on Top.

• Aligned with key stakeholders and constituencies. Recognizing the need to focus attention on some important relationships in order to achieve our long-term goals, we developed and deepened our work with community nonprofits and businesses, and expanded our collaborations with Rogers State University, Claremore Public Schools, the City of Claremore and other academic institutions. Our efforts were recognized by the Claremore Chamber of Commerce through their award as best non-profit agency.

experiences, and campaigns.

•Scaled up technological capacity. We launched a new effort to digitize the museum’s archives. We hope to be a model for how to preserve and increase access to research materials, photographs and historical artifacts for other small museums.

• Extended our reach and impact. We increased attendance yet again this year and crossed a milestone goal of 17,000 visitors which represented an increase of over 100%. We’ve focused on our digital engagement through higher profile exhibitions, large-scale public events, and compelling content,

• Inspired greater community support. We had considerable growth in individual giving this year, with gains in revenue, new and returning donors, retention, and the size and number of gifts.

•Secured new funding. We received grants from the Oklahoma Museum Association Heritage Program, the Oklahoma Department of Libraries and the Oklahoma Arts Council. We continue to build our grants pipeline by actively pursuing opportunities focused on program development, capacity

implemented an expanded fundraising strategy to engage new and legacy supporters.

• Improved management effectiveness. We strengthened organizational infrastructure and policy frameworks, updated and restated governing documents, and streamlined institutional practices. We have also made great progress on bettering internal systems, processes, and procedures that will enable our institution to grow and prosper.

The MoH is proud to play a central role in Rogers County thriving creative industries. Located in the downtown Lilac District of Claremore, our museum sits at the crossroads of arts, culture, business, and economic development. As a center for humanities, we bring art, history, and cultural experiences to diverse audiences. As a center for business and commerce, we use creative practice to promote place identity, enhance livability, grow engagement, drive tourism, and invigorate the entrepreneurial ecosystem. As a center for community and exchange, we cultivate ideas, amplify voices, encourage reciprocity, and inspire innovation.

Ultimately, however, the Claremore Museum of History is about celebrating the human experience. By offering forums for a wide range of creative expression and subject matter, along with space to collaborate, create, research, and explore, we provide our guests with unique opportunities to storytellers, to one another, and to the

Claremore MoH Board of Directors

The Claremore Museum of History is housed in the WPA structure that was originally built in 1936 and was the home of the Will Rogers Public Library. Last year, we successfully petitioned for our building to be placed in the National Registry of Historic Places.

Claremore Museum of History

Mission

What we do

Our mission at the Claremore Museum of History (MoH) is to create engaging experiences that celebrate history, connect community and inspire creativity.

Vision

What we aspire to be

Our vision is to provide our audience with engaging experiences through community programs and collaboration. Through our mission and vision, we are hoping to build relationships that strive to make a better community. Relationship-building is fundamental to growing strong, creative, active and vibrant communities.

Values

What we stand for

Each day, we live our organization’s values so that we may create enduring value for our visitors, staff, community and supporters.

Excellence: We passionately strive to exceed expectations in all that we do.

History: We strive to preserve and present local history in an engaging, professional and entertaining environment.

Integrity: We keep our promises, act ethically and demonstrate exemplary business conduct at all times because it is the right thing to do.

Safety: We are committed to creating and maintaining a safe environment for everyone.

Education: We are committed to providing education on Rogers County history through multiple channels and collaborations.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: We succeed by creating trusted and enduring relationships within our community. The MoH provides a safe haven for everyone.

Assets & Spaces

Facilities

The MoH itself is located in a historical building that was originally the Will Rogers Public Library and is now leased from the City of Claremore. Within it, there is approximately 5,000 square feet of exhibition/gallery space and 1,000 square feet for our office and archives. The MoH also leases one climate controlled storage unit that we use for overflow items.

Collections

The MoH maintains a research library, archives, and a curatorial collection. The art collection has more than 300 sculptures, paintings, postcards and photographs tied to the Claremore area. The history collection has more than 1,000 items, most of which are from the early 1900s with historical significance to Rogers County.

Exhibition Space

The MoH has two permanent exhibition spaces: the History Gallery and the recently added Lynn Riggs Gallery. Future plans include a strategy to increase the MoH physical footprint at our current location. In addition, the MoH presents a series of public programs and educational activities.

The MoH partnered with the City of Claremore’s Parks Department to create a ”spaced-theme” Roosa Playground in the middle of the historic Lilac District that seeks to honor Claremore’s astronaut, Stuart A Roosa.

“In 1948, Riggs was one of five alumni honored for their achievements. Riggs could not attend, but he wrote modestly, “Actually I have done little in this life except try to discover who I am and what my relation to the world I know consists of."

--The

Sooner Magazine, on The Lost & Found Lynn Riggs

Claremore

Board of Directors

Executive Committee

Chairman, Steve Robinson

Vice-Chairman, Robert Melton

Secretary, Susan Kirtley

Treasurer, Jimmy Ray

Outgoing Chairman, W. Hays Gilstrap

Directors

GeneDoty

LouFlanagan

MaryFrancis

DonnaFroman

SuzanneGilstrap

KathyGlover

JanGoodhue

DougGoodhue

CarolHall

WendeeHenry

ConnieJesina

MichelleJohnson

JanieJones

ChristineKihega

Directors

KathyKnox

JohnLittle

LindaMeredith

JerrileeMosier

SuePing

DebbieRatliff

StephenRiley

DianneSims

MaryStatton

CindySullivan

TylerTanner

KarenTripp

JudyWilber

SusanYoung

Advisory

PaulaDavis

CarolLittle

HerbMcSpadden

CheenaPazzo

Emeritus

TomPool

BarbraPool

Management

Team

Staff

Paula Davis Lead Coordinator

Stephen Riley Museum Coordinator

Carol Little Museum Coordinator

Brittney Shorter Museum Coordinator

Contractors & Service Providers

Hood & Associates, CPAs Accounting Services

Deno Espinosa Electrical Support

Parks Cabinetry Exhibits

Kate Galation Conservation

One 80 Consulting Public Relations

Claremore Signs Design Consulting

Plastic Engineering Displays

Claremore Museum of History

The MoH is a must-see museum that is fun for all ages. Whether it’s our latest exhibit or expansion, program, a school activity, a members only event or our annual parties – we promise to provide something for everyone.

Claremore Museum of History

2023 Highlights

Exhibitions & Programs

• Roosa Space Day

January 30

• Founders Appreciation

March 23

• Buddy Watson Tribute

May 27

• Juneteenth

June 18

• History Patron Gala

June 29

• Members Only Book Review

July 20

• Oklahoma! Exhibit

August 31

• Native American Art Show

November 4

• Model Train Pop Up

Month of December

Activities

• Souper Saturday

January 14

• I Love You MoH

February 11

• Claremore Homecoming

September 22

• MoH HaHaHalloween

October 28

• Reindeer Games

November 17 & 18

• Candlelight & Carols Home Tour

December 16

• MoH Ho Ho Party

December 15

Claremore Museum of History

Financial

Health

The MoH has been working diligently to diversify our funding portfolio and expand our base of support, as we transition out of the pandemic and into an uncertain economy.

In the last few years, the financial impact of the pandemic along with other funding shortfalls resulted in a deficit of approximately $150,000 in lost or deferred revenue annually to the museum. 2023 was a strong year in revenue recognition and we plan for that support to continue into 2024.

We continue to take actions designed to ensure financial sustainability now and in the future. We monitor staff expense and have been actively pursing funding opportunities through state and federal grants.

For the long term, we are aggressively pursuing growing our foundation investments to reach a level that can sustain our annual operations. Over the last two years, the MoH has invested over $65,000 in our Foundation account.

Our efforts toward resource development include re-engaging past donors and supporters and introducing new revenue streams with particular attention to opportunities for income growth that are aligned with programs and artistic development.

Although our financial continuity has been challenged – we remain optimistic, hopeful and committed to serving our community.

The MoH hosts a variety of activities that provide anywhere else close by.

a realm of experiences you won’t find

Claremore Museum of History

The Future

By cultivating a healthy and sustainable creative economy, we ensure that Rogers County remains a great place to live, work, and play. Our achievements on this front are not the work of the MoH alone, but instead result from the exemplary collaboration of many partners. Together we have built a livable downtown and together we can ensure vibrancy in the Lilac District for years to come.

The MoH contributes to this effort in 2023 and beyond by forging boldly ahead with our inventive offerings, and working with collaborators to breathe new life into our cultural scene and public space. This work has become more important than ever as we emerge from the pandemic, reconnect, and rebuild.

And yet, it is no secret that these are challenging times for arts and culture. Around the world, museums have experienced reduced funding, operational issues due to COVID, and other difficulties. At a time of such uncertainty, we believe it is crucial to recognize the enduring value of creative enterprise to drive community development. We need to celebrate our local cultural organizations and do what we can to support the sector. We need to develop vision, strategies, and priorities, and ensure longterm funding to sustain high-quality programs and facilities.

To continue moving this work forward, our plans for the future involve the following emphases.

Placekeeping

Similar to the placemaking movement in community development, placekeeping is an effort to recognize and celebrate a community’s cultural identity, history, and people by elevating local culture, heritage, and landscapes through artistic and historical interpretation. Not only do the MoH’s exhibitions, activities, and programs encourage localism as well as the tourism that financially benefits businesses, workforce, and City and County tax revenue, they also

invest in our cultural profile in a way that enriches the lives of our local community, invites visitor participation, and ensures we remain attractive and relevant in these rapidly changing times.

Community Belonging

Nurturing a sense of belonging among all people contributes to healthy, meaningful lives and safe, inclusive neighborhoods. When we encourage culture and identity to flourish, civic participation increases. MoH programming enhances belonging by animating our museum, historic sites, and public spaces in a way that acknowledges and honors our diverse cultures and histories, while encouraging interaction and community building. We use interventions to engage people as active collaborators around art and history; to make and offer space that fosters encounter, dialogue, and social cohesion; and to build individual and collective capacity to sustain socially and place-connected, resilient communities.

Social Connectedness

Connectedness is key to growing a sense of belonging, and the experiences we craft around it are designed specifically to encourage people to come together, interact, and engage in mutual value creation through an exchange of knowledge and information. Residents who are engaged become invested in the MoH and one another. This builds the public value and perception of the organization, while contributing to the community’s wellbeing overall.

Here are some of the specific visioning, organizational, and programming approaches the MoH uses to increase creative capacity and competitive advantage within the aforementioned emphases:

•Articulating narratives that represent the beliefs, values, and ideals of Rogers County to guide our programming

•Launching Members Only events to connect and inspire patrons in and around the MoH and Rogers County

•Unveiling temporary pop-up exhibits that invite engagement and interaction while creating a draw to our spaces

•Displaying new artistic work and cultural content in addition to preserving and presenting our collections

• Investing in local artists, historians, and creative practitioners via art shows, space, and resources

• Encouraging a shift toward regenerative economy within our community to capitalize on opportunities

• Building support for citizen artists and storytellers to increase involvement in creativity and cultural exchange

• Committing to accelerating diversity and equity in our cultural workforce and leadership pipeline

• Collaborating with other cultural organizations to strengthen our mutual impact

Engaging in the global

“There is no denying that the beautiful City of Claremore has a rich and vibrant history, with some notable figures garnering fantastic accomplishments. Some of their citizens have made impacts that have been felt around the world. It might have one asking, “Is there something in the water?”

-- Value News on The Charismatic Characters of Claremore

F U N F A C T S

$73,000 GRANT DOLLARS

OK ARTS COUNCIL & HERITAGE GRANT

12,151 PIECES IN THE APOLLO XIV LEGO MODEL

355 BOOKS

CONTAINED IN LYNN RIGGS PERSONAL LIBRARY

0% AMOUNT OF RADIUM CONTAINED IN A RADIUM BATH

573 HOURS, 4 MINUTES AND 4 SECONDS TIME TO COMPLETE THE 3,422 MILE LONG BUNION DERBY THAT ANDY PAYNE WON

$150,000 CITY IMPROVEMENTS IN UPGRADES TO PARK AND PLAYGROUND

390 CRACKERS

FED TO ROSIE DURING 2023 REINDEER GAMES

432 BRICKS FROM OLD CLAREMORE HIGH SCHOOL USED IN OUR BUTTERFLY GARDEN SIDEWALKS

14,376 PAGES FROM CHS YEARBOOKS LOADED ONTO WEBSITE