The Museum of Russian Icons was founded in 2006 as a non-profit educational institution by Massachusetts industrialist, Gordon B. Lankton. The collection includes more than 400 Russian icons, the largest collection of its kind in North America, and one of the largest private collections outside Russia. The collection spans six centuries, and includes important historical paintings dating from the earliest periods of icon “writing” to the present.
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Museum Facilities
The Museum of Russian Icons is a 150-year-old former mill building. The museum renovation was based on plans by designer David Durrant and implemented by contractor T.H. Smith. Working together with subcontractors Murray Brothers Construction and Benson Woodworking, they gutted, strengthened, re-roofed, and refurbished the interior of the historic, three-story structure. Much of the renovation process involved manufacturing components off-site.
The Museum of Russian Icons physical plant is a "Green" building featuring auxiliary solar power, LED lighting systems, and automated displays. All the exterior, south-facing windows are black glass panels that block all exterior light. Building designer David Durrant, stated, "Gordon told us he wanted a facility that would stack up against the great museums of this country, and we believe that is what we have achieved." The overall appearance of the original building is deceptive. Outside, other than a cut-metal sign identifying the Museum of Russian Icons and array of solar panels, the building restoration maintained the original look with its brick façade and gabled roof. The presence complements Clinton’s beautiful public common, Central Park.
Inside, technology balances art with a dramatic, timber-framed truss roof. The building is electrically self-sufficient, with 44 photovoltaic panels, each capable of 13 KW hours, powering low-voltage fluorescent and LED lighting in multiple colors. The Museum’s photovoltaic system provides extra power to the public energy grid via a co-generation system. Heat is by natural gas.
The Museum fills all three floors of the 6,000 sq. ft. building. The top floor is the main gallery; the middle floor has galleries, a conference room and offices; and the bottom floor houses a café, mechanical rooms, rest rooms and more gallery space. The levels are connected by custom-designed, sweeping metal and glass stairways that allow visual access to all three floors from any place in the museum. The floors also are all connected by an elevator; the building is totally ADA compliant.
An ultra-modern, aluminum skinned 3,500 square-foot addition opened in 2008 to rave reviews and houses the new South Gallery, expanded Library and performance facilities accommodating lectures and concerts.
