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Oglebay Institute welcomed antique enthusiasts, donors and friends to the grand reopening of its Glass Museum this past Monday evening with an event called "Raise Your Glass."
Since I am a forever fan of antiques and local history, I was pleased to attend. Plus, I'm an active member of the Museum Committee and former employee of OI, and I know how valuable the work of OI is to our region.
It was a lovely party and opportunity to see the thousands of glittering glass treasures showcased in the renovated space, located in the lower level of the Carriage House Glass building at Oglebay. But the best part was seeing all the former and current employees as they enjoyed the success of this recent major task of restoration and recovery.
The behind the scenes story is that the renovation project, which was generously funded by donors, resulted from an accident last February as a sprinkler burst in the shop, located on the floor above the museum, causing major water damage.
"The sprinkler broke upstairs in the glass shop. Panhandle Restoration responded right away, however the water entered the glass museum and seeped into the cases, and the perimeter of the room. Even though we addressed it right away, the water damage proved to be more than expected," explained Holly McCluskey, OI's curator of glass.
Fortunately, none of the valuable glass was damaged but the cases and museum suffered.
"Our choice was to fix it or to take advantage of the misfortune and update the museum. After 29 years of being opened to the public, we agreed that it needed a refresh and this became an opportunity to update the look and interpretation of the museum," she said.
The goal was to open in time for the Festival of Lights, so the work began and ended with a last-minute push to finish prior to light up night. Gratefully, several major donors stepped up to assist.
Frederick and Julie Lambert of Wheeling are two of these special donors. Julie had a "hands-on" role in the installation of the valuable Northwood Glass Gallery in 1993 as a museum volunteer.
Fred was the president and CEO of OI for 15 years at that time, and during the time I worked there. I was quite happy under his leadership and was pleased to see him and Julie at the opening.
"My wife, Julie, and I are honored to be sponsors of the redesigned Oglebay Institute Glass Museum. The vision espoused by Holly McCluskey and her colleagues was exciting and engaging. Having seen the final results recently more than confirmed our belief in the staff of the Museums of Oglebay Institute. The final product is striking in its beauty, interpretation and display. From the entry to the elevator and throughout the galleries, glass and glass making are celebrated as in few places in this country. The Glass Museum is something that the people of Wheeling and its neighbors and visitors can be proud of and revel in for years to come," Fred Lambert said.
Other donors who have galleries named in their honor include:
The Artzberger Gallery, in honor of John and Judie Artzberger (sponsored by the McWilliams Foundation).
John was the much-loved curator of the Mansion Museum and his wife Judie was a cousin to Betty Jane McWilliams of the McWilliams Foundation. Both are deceased. The Artzberger Gallery is the main gallery of the Glass Museum and home to the famous Sweeney Punch Bowl, the largest piece of cut lead crystal ever made.
The Jay Frey and Michael Hires Gallery, a changing exhibit gallery space that currently features some of their personal glass collection and historical items belonging to Hanson Waddell, a nineteenth century glass manager of note for Hobbs, Brockunier, one of the largest manufacturers of Victorian glass. Waddell was Jay's great grandfather.
Jay is a retired fundraising professional and Michael is director of Annual Giving and Communications at the Oglebay Foundation. He also serves as the chair of the Museum Committee. Both reside in Wheeling.
Visitors will enjoy the new reinterpretation of the process of glass and the Wheeling companies that changed the world with innovations and new products. Even the elevator is enhanced with murals that illustrate the workforce and factories of our early glass artisans.
The Glass Museum also sports a new color scheme, paint, flooring, carpet, and refreshed display cases painted black, allowing the vivid color of the glass to pop. I find the lighting to be the most dramatic change to the space since it creates a bright, sparkling vision for visitors to enjoy.
The Museums of Oglebay Institute hours for the Festival of Lights (through Jan. 8, 2023) are from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sunday through Thursday and from 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturdays. Both the Glass and Mansion museums are open from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. on Christmas and New Year's Eve and are closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.