A Case for Support 2023

Claremore Museum History of

At 121 N Weenonah – the old Will Rogers Library

Find Your Space

Who We Are

Our mission at the Claremore Museum of History (MoH) is to create engaging experiences that celebrate history, connect community and inspire creativity. Our vision is to provide our audience with engaging experiences through community programs and collaboration. Through our mission and vision, we are building relationships that strive to make a better community. Relationship-building is fundamental to growing strong, creative, active and vibrant communities.

Claremore Museum of History

History

As we usher in 2023, we are proud to celebrate 12 years since the Claremore Museum of History officially came into existence – the result of the collaboration of several local community citizens who had a passion to preserve the history and legacy of local Claremore families and community.

In 2011, a group of local citizens identified a need to have a museum that highlighted Claremore, Oklahoma’s rich history. Those citizens identified the old Will Rogers Library as the property that would be the best location and facility for the museum. We are dedicated to the humanities and sharing our stories of Oklahoma history.

The Claremore Museum of History includes the Lynn Riggs Memorial Collection, the Andy Payne Family Collection, Stuart Roosa Foundation Collection, loans from the OKPOP and Timothy Akers for our Patti Page exhibition, Building Heritage, History and Hope Exhibit, the historical artifacts on the history of Claremore and Rogers County, and our latest addition, the Lynn Riggs Gallery.

These collections and exhibitions allow our museum to embrace the humanistic topics and interpretations, and provide outstanding museum experiences through educational programs, and community collaboration.

A small group of Claremore museum professionals established the Claremore Museum Coalition for all museums (J.M. Davis Arms and Historical Museum, Will Rogers Memorial Museums, Oklahoma Military Academy Museum/Rogers State University, and the Claremore Museum of History) in Claremore, to work together collaboratively for educational programming and tourism needs.

We Serve

The MoH serves all who live, work and play in the larger Rogers County community, irrespective of age, income, culture, creed, gender, or language. We are a community museum dedicated to serving our community, no matter who you are or what you believe. In recent years we have observed that some people are less likely to visit the museum than others. Our guest should reflect the diversity of the county, and so we have made and continue to make special efforts to reach out to and offer relevant programming to empower and engage specific groups, including racial/ethnic minorities, low-wage laborers, socially isolated senior citizens, LGBTQ, and local Native Americans in a spirit of inclusiveness and bridge-building. We believe this helps to grow a stronger and more connected community in keeping with our mission.

and professors, parents and families, storytellers and listeners, performers, poets, and spectators – and every other cultural enthusiast or creative individual we did not mention. We serve visitors, new residents and those who have called Claremore and Rogers County home for generations.

An underlying tenet of MoH programming is accessibility, an ethos reflected in the numerous free events, free admission, affordable ticket pricing for events, membership, discounts and broad geographic reach. Moving forward, we hope to expand our sphere of influence even further through a series of pop-up installations and cultural experiences beyond our downtown nucleus. Our aim is to reach people wherever they may be, inspiring wonder and delight in unexpected spaces through the community.

Museum of History

Claremore

Claremore Museum of History

We Believe

We believe art and history have the power to captivate and delight, to heal and inspire, to shed light on who we are and who we inspire to be.

We believe that every person has a right to engage with creative and education experiences on their level, no matter who they are.

We believe the MoH should be a welcoming, comfortable space.

We believe there should be something to inspire each and every one of you whether you have chosen to take on the mantle of social justice, hope to learn about regional history or simply appreciate a transformative piece of art.

We believe in collaboration as a core operating principle. Together with our partners, donors and volunteers, we can produce exhibits and experiences relevant and enlightening for a broad spectrum of our diverse community.

Our vision for the future is inclusive, accessible, meaningful and exciting. We believe it is something we can all get behind and is the roadmap we have developed to get us there. We believe that together we can make this vision a reality.

Claremore Museum of History

The MoH provides a wide array of programs and activities for the community. To clarify and guide our programming going forward, we developed the following framework.

What We Do

Exhibitions

Now offering online and onsite, our exhibitions feature commissioned, co-created, and presented works by local and national artists, as well as artwork and objects from our collection. Many are collaborations between the MoH and the community, others are organized by our visionary staff and volunteers.

Community Celebrations

The MoH is proud to have a large and diverse group of partners who spearhead the series of events and activities celebrating local culture, heritage and tradition.

Education Program

Our robust education program includes a variety of learning opportunities – from field trips, artists talks, guided tours, art camps, in-school educational programs and hands-on classes to virtual learning – designed to enhance understanding of our exhibitions among all audiences, from school groups to visiting guests.

Special Events

These are our fundraisers and “friend-raisers” that we host throughout the year as a way to raise dollars and awareness for the MoH.

Outreach Program

We do offer engagement opportunities beyond the physical space of the MoH that include pop-up events, mobile exhibitions, community speaker programs, and other activities both offsite and online.

Core Narratives

Because so much of our work is developed through the lens of community and public benefit, we have identified core issues that are important to local citizens as a way to help us consciously embrace how art and history can integrate with and impact community life.

These areas of focus emphasize our sense of place, local identity, and collective history. Also seen as our spheres of impact, they help guide how programs and initiatives at the MoH are developed, curated, and organized, creating opportunities for cultural practitioners to collaborate, inspire, and elicit creative solutions that can result in deep and lasting change.

They include:

• Health & Wellness: Mental health, holistic healing, art and healthy living habits. Access to care, focusing on the needs of our most vulnerable. Connecting communities and resources.

• Memory and Place: Looking back to look forward. Heritage, culture, and tradition. Movement, migration, and place. Institutional and collective memory. Storytelling.

• Regenerative Design & Cultural Activism: Creation over consumption. Working with and through the land. Art that gives back – a tool for restoration, renewal, or revitalization.

• Joy & Beauty: Experiences that provide space to pause and imagine. Relief, reflection, escape. Stillness, uncanniness. Consideration of the unknown, inspiring wonder and awe.

Milestones and Highlights

Entering our 12th anniversary is no small achievement, and for us it is a great opportunity to reflect on our rich and storied history. Here are some of the key events that helped to shape the MoH into the institution we are today:

• Shirley Jones brings the surrey from Oklahoma! to Claremore to initiate the Lynn Riggs Memorial

• Rogers County Historical Society (RCHS) was organized on February 15, 1973

• Claremore Museum of History started in 2011 as a part of RCHS

• Formed a committee with Tom Pool as Chair2011

• Signed a rental agreement with the City of Claremore for the Museum - June 14, 2011

• Started fundraising to pay for renovations - July 2011

• MoH incorporated - May 13, 2015

• Formed a board after incorporation

• First Executive Director hired - Dec. 2017

Claremore Museum of History

What Sets Us Apart

The MoH is one of a kind, embracing all that is wild, weird and wonderful…It’s what keeps our visitors coming back, wondering what we will come up with next.

In that we we are a reflection of Rogers County, for our community is not just one thing – it’s academic, and full of outdoor multilingual, quirky and fun-loving adventure seekers. The people of Claremore are concerned with social justice and environmental equity. We are forward-thinking, fans of contemporary art, and lifelong learners fascinated by how our past informs our present.

The result is, well, the MoH – that homey, boundary-pushing, happy, energized space that animates the heart of downtown Claremore where people intersect, connect, and thrive. Where you can grab a coffee, meet up with friends for happy hour, or check out an exhibit.

Community Collaboration

The MoH has long worked to unite community, engaging a broad spectrum of individuals, groups, and organizations and sometimes hosting as many as 500 partners on a project. Collaboration is fundamental to what we do.

We look forward to strengthening and growing our current partnerships through deep, meaningful collaborations. We also hope to establish new partnerships, and to reconnect with past partners with whom we’ve not engaged recently.

We are proud of the MoH – not only of where we are now, but of our colorful, grassroots past and our promising future. We are eager to hear what you think, and to share our plans with you. Our hope is that will be as exited as we are to build a future together.

We are humbled and honored to have such a committed group of partners. Our work would not be possible without your support. To the individual donors, volunteers, collaborators, State and Federal agencies, and private funders – we thank you. as exited as we are to build a future together.

Claremore Museum of History

Cultural Vibrancy

Together with our partners in the creative space, the MoH plays a key role in nurturing cultural vibrancy in Rogers County and beyond.

At the same time, art and history experiences benefit society by promoting livability – the quality of life that a community offers its residents and guests. A catalyst for reflection and inspiration, creative practice invites engagement and collaboration, it fosters pride in place and helps nurture a community’s identity. It also provides economic opportunity for artists, designers, writers, performers, and other members of the creative sector. Our work to enhance cultural vibrancy centers on:

Placekeeping – recognizing and celebrating a community’s existing cultural identity, history and people through artistic and historical interpretation. Community Belonging – Cultivating a sense of belonging contributes to healthy, meaningful lives and safe, inclusive neighborhoods.

Social Connectedness – Connectedness is key to growing a sense of belong and the experiences we craft around it encourage people to come together, interact, and engage in mutual value creation by exchanging knowledge and information.

Claremore Museum of History

Financial

Health

The MoH has been working diligently to diversify our funding portfolio and expand our base of support, even as the pandemic continues to take its toll on the global cultural sector.

In 2020, the financial impact of the pandemic along with other funding shortfalls resulted in a deficit of approximately $100,000 in lost or deferred revenue annually. 2022 was a strong year in revenue recognition and we plan for that support to continue into 2023.

We continue to take actions designed to ensure financial sustainability now and in the future. In the short term, we reduced staff numbers and have been actively pursing relief funding opportunities including grants, small business loans, and assistance programs focused on capacity-building resilience and recovery.

For the long term, we have been working to strengthen our business model with financial strategies that include a realistic balance between earned and contributed revenue, monitoring cash flow and broadening our base of support.

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.

Today’s MoH

We are proud to celebrate our history with you, and to carry forth what our forebears started – a longstanding transition of enriching the Rogers County community with a deep understanding of our shared past, an appreciation for arts and culture, and collaboration around issues that matter.

As we look forward to the bright future that awaits us, we are proud and honored to ground our efforts in the work that came before, while conceiving new ways to advance our mission in the current era. Over the past year we have been hard at work on several initiatives that we are confident will be successful. Please enjoy a snapshot what you can look forward to from today’s MoH.

Claremore Museum of History

Claremore Museum of History

Why Support Us

The MoH is a community hub at the heart of downtown Claremore, a symbol of how urban space can be revitalized as a thriving center where people from all walks of life congregate and commune over a shared love for the arts and humanities.

When you support the Claremore Museum of History, it is not a gamble. You are joining a committed professional team with a long record of success working tirelessly on behalf of the community – building on the work that came before and reenergized under new leadership- to take the MoH to new levels of engagement, collaboration, and artistic excellence.

We hope you will not only support us, but join us on the next steps of this exciting journey. Together, our potential knows no bounds.

Claremore Museum of History

How

To Engage

and volunteers.

Your contributions are essential to our shared success. Through membership, underwriting of special projects, sponsorship and gifts of time and talent, our partners allow us to share our progress with a broad audience.

We thank our members, sponsors and volunteers for their tremendous support and look forward to working with new friends as we continue to pursue new horizons.

Membership

Membership is a great way to support and experience the MoH. Annual levels start at $25 and include admission, exhibition, previews, exclusive events, discounts and more..

There are several ways to support the MoH, with many benefits and opportunities offered to recognize and thank our donors

Individual Giving

There are many ways that individuals can make a difference at the MoH. Whether you choose to participate in one of our donor drives, support a specific program or contribute to the annual fund, your generosity enables us to maintain our collections, develop exhibits, and present educational programs.

Legacy Giving

A planned gift to the MoH is the perfect way to perpetuate your love of history and establish a legacy. Planned giving includes any major gift that involves estate planning such as bequests or gifts of securities, retirement assets, real estate, or personal property.

Volunteering

The MoH includes many volunteers each year in a variety of opportunities at our museum.

Corporate Support

There are a number of ways for businesses to get involved with the MoH, including sponsorship, corporate membership, and matching gifts, all of which provide partners a range of benefits and access to the museum.

Foundation & Government Support

The MoH builds partnerships with foundation and government entities aimed at supporting all aspects of our programming and operations. We are proud to count leading local, state, and federal grant making organizations, independent foundations, and family foundations among our valued supporters and collaborators.

In-Kind Support

The MoH benefits enormously from in-kind gifts that provide non-cash support for a whole variety of needs. A member of the development team will be happy to assist you in coordinating your in-kind contribution.

promotes cultural experiences in keeping with the beliefs, values and ideas of the Rogers County community, an effort that honors and strengthens our sense of place. In order to involve the community comprehensively in our mission and draw on the strengths of our peer creative community, the MoH undertakes frequent collaborations with individuals, organizations and businesses. Our growing community-based alliances foster diversity, inclusion and growth.

are some of the dynamic groups and individuals with whom we are recently partnered.