Cape Ann Museum Green – New Gateway to Cape Ann
A SPACE FOR COMMUNITY, CONTEMPORARY ART, EDUCATION, EXHIBITIONS, RESIDENTIAL ARTISTS, SCULPTURE PARK
OPEN FOR OCTOBER PREVIEW
A SLEEK ADDITION TO THE CAPE ANN SCENE
Cape Ann Museum is delivering a second magnificent venue to Cape Ann. Situated at the Grant Circle rotary where the original Gloucester Town Green once provided grazing for cows, the new Cape Ann Museum Green will serve as a vibrant campus for many exciting possibilities.
With the formal grand opening moved out to June 2021, the museum is providing a preview of the new site during the month of October, and you don't want to miss it.
On the drawing board since 2017, the Cape Ann Museum Green Committee, chaired by William (Wilber) James, has masterfully guided the complex of buildings, walls, and grounds into existence. For a 3.4 acre campus, the visibility is somewhat hidden, but upon entering the site from Poplar Street one must pause to recover from the surprise awaiting. With its juxtaposition of modern and historical buildings surrounding a sweeping green inner plane of grass, destined for a future sculpture park, it is a breathtaking campus to behold.
The Museum's mission is to celebrate our rich, diverse, and deep history here on Cape Ann while also continually discovering new works by contemporary artists. This property brings it all together in one place as the Gateway to Cape Ann.
— Oliver Barker, Director
THE JAMES CENTER
A Green Building of Gallery and Storage Space
The most prominent building on the campus is the contemporary Janet & William Ellery James Center, a 12,000-square-foot structure built with two dedicated spaces, a large storage section and a sophisticated 2,000 square feet of gallery exhibition space. The storage area, with state-of-the-art fixtures, will be a major logistics asset for overall management of the museum's archives and collections. The gallery space is designed with the large-scale dimensions and architectural details seen in the most contemporary galleries typical of SoHo or Basel. With a mechanized sliding door connecting the gallery to the inner concrete patio, the space will no doubt become one of the most enjoyed venues on Cape Ann. And with so much potential, it has been designated the Gallery of New Possibilities.
Green Construction Details
The James Center was built to LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) Platinum standards and designed by Boston-based designLAB. Integral to the green footprint is the imminent Solar Array system on the building’s roof, raked to maximize exposure to the sun. The moveable door's elegant wood is recycled White Eastern cedar.
The three historic structures continue beyond the James Center, forming an arc around the central green. The White Ellery House (c.1710) is currently a working part of CAM, as a gallery space. An adjacent barn (c.1740) has potential for different purposes. The Babson-Alling House (c.1740) requires stabilization and preservation before becoming an active part of the complex.
Included on the campus is the Carlson House, under discussion as possible residential housing for artists invited to live and work on Cape Ann. Additional housing could help the museum expand programs such as the current association with Yale University Art School for students selected to work on site on Cape Ann.
The Porch-Rait Project
The first exhibition mounted in the new James Center gallery features photographs of Gloucester families taken during the pandemic, as part of a benefit for The Open Door Food Pantry.
HOW TO VISIT CAM GREEN DURING OCTOBER
The CAM GREEN campus is open during October 2020, Thursday through Sunday, 10am to 3pm. The campus visit is free, open to the public, with timed tickets required. For reservations and COVID protocol: CAM GREEN TIMED TICKETS.
Cape Ann Museum Green, 13 Poplar Street, Gloucester
