Slater Memorial Museum is 135 years old. Dedicated in 1886, the building retains an enormous amount of original architectural features and details as designed by its architect, Stephen C. Earle.

The museum was designed to serve multiple purposes as an “athenaeum” building which was responsible for uplifting a person’s mind, body and spirit.

The auditorium served, and still serves, as the space where a person’s spirit is uplifted with music and live performances. The mind of students would be uplifted in the library which used to exist in the museum. A student’s body would be uplifted through physical exercise and conditioning in the main galleries which almost became a gymnasium. These rooms now house the renowned Plaster Cast Collection.

Now, we are preparing to embark on a significant project — replacing the original slate roof dating back to the building’s original construction.

The work performed will be extensive and requires a large-scale preservation effort to protect the museum’s collections on the inside. Many artifacts and works of art will be temporarily relocated during this time.

Throughout the project, museum staff will work behind the scenes to make existing spaces even better for the museum’s ultimate reopening upon the project’s completion (anticipated to be November 2022).

The project has already generated a number of questions. Here are a few, and our answers to keep you informed.

Why will the museum have to close?

The museum will close Jan. 1 to allow for a safe and seamless restoration process. The entire roofing system will be restored and in some areas reconstructed. As such, we want to ensure that all students, faculty and staff are not put at risk in what will be an active construction zone.

What will happen to the exhibitions and everything inside the museum that’s on display?

We will be preserving all materials and exhibitions that are inside the museum galleries. Our plaster casts will be covered with protective plastic, and galleries will be sealed so that dirt, dust or and debris does not impact our collection. We will also relocate many objects to storage for the duration of the project.

What will happen in the months leading up to construction?

The museum is already engaged in preparing the building for the roof restoration. Over the next two to three months, we will be doing some serious museum-style housekeeping and decluttering, especially in our attic spaces. This will allow for work to be completed in the most efficient and safest manner possible.

Will there be anything new to see when the restoration is completed?

Yes! We are working on refreshing and refurbishing several exhibition galleries that will bring new and exciting stories to tell about Norwich, NFA and our global collection of artwork. We will also be working on a number of strategic initiatives that will usher in a new chapter of the museum’s mission and operations.

How can we stay engaged with the museum during the closure?

We will share more updates on our roof restoration web page (slatermuseum.org) and use auxiliary display areas to keep the museum experience alive for our students. We will also be working to deliver new digital content directly to our supporters that will touch on a number of themes including the restoration, museum education programs and more. Stay tuned for further updates.

Michael O’Farrell is director of communications for Norwich Free Academy and the father of two NFA students. He can be reached at ofarrellm@nfaschool.org.