Gearing up
For 2022
One year ago, the future of the Eli Whitney Museum & Workshop was uncertain. With great sadness, we closed our doors to the public, unsure when they would reopen. As our Director Bill Brown and Principal Designer Sally Hill retired, one chapter ended and another began.
We knew that teachers needed our help. Students needed learning experiences beyond their computer screens.
There was a call to action. We retooled our programs to be taught online. We re-envisioned our summer camps to take place outdoors on our historic campus using strict safety protocols. And recently, we opened our doors to the public.
The community believed in our mission through a challenging time. We redesigned some of our most popular projects. With support from the Anni and Josef Albers Foundation, we placed projects in the hands of every student at King-Robinson Magnet School in New Haven.
We planned a summer of outdoor workshops knowing that the pandemic still posed many uncertainties. Nature became our classroom. We observed our world from new distances. We slowed down and stayed present.
539 Unique Campers
17 Educators (9 Guest Educators)
80 Apprentices
40 Apprentices per day on average
143 Chairs and Stools Built
1,200 Face Masks Used
408 Boats Made
0 COVID cases
What’s next? Our workshop is adapting to make our materials, tools, and models more accessible. A new laser-cutter will be available to the public on weekend hours for a behind-the-scenes look at what we do.
Your donation to the Annual Fund supports our ability to adapt as we invest and build in the greater community.
