Painting and Birding 'round the Long Island Sound
Sand Hill Crane diorama by FL Jaques, Bell Museum
Francis Lee Jaques Dioramas at risk!
I had always planned on writing a post on Francis Lee Jaques, a giant in the world of bird art and also one of the great diorama artists, but recent events have forced my hand. Such is his stature in the museum field that it is incredible to think that some of his finest works are at risk of destruction. But the Bell Museum of Natural History in Minneapolis has proposed just such a plan. In an attempt to move the museum into larger digs across the river in St. Paul, they are ignoring the advice of many experts in the field who assess the dioramas as permanent, unmoveable, and irreplaceable. Whatever is left of them is to be "re-purposed" in the new space, violating the careful design and lighting so critical to dioramas as an art form. A number of artists and museum professionals have begun a campaign to save the Bell Museum dioramas and we invite you to join us by writing to the following people and voicing your objections to this plan and your support of these dioramas as significant works of art and unique ambassadors of environmental education.
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Mark Dayton, Governor of Minnesota
Office of the Governor
116 Veterans Service Building
20 W 12th Street
St. Paul, MN 55155
116 Veterans Service Building
20 W 12th Street
St. Paul, MN 55155
Telephone: 651-201-3400
To contact by email, use this link:
Betsy Hodges, Mayor of Minneapolis
Mayor's Office
350 S. 5th St., Room 331
Minneapolis, MN 55415
Phone: (612) 673-2100
Christopher B. Coleman, Mayor of Saint Paul
Office of the Mayor
390 City Hall
15 Kellogg Boulevard West
Saint Paul, MN 55102.
(651) 266-8510
To contact by email, use this link:
Al Franken, U.S. Senator for Minnesota
Saint Paul Office:
60 East Plato Blvd
Suite 220
Saint Paul, MN 55107
(651) 221-1016
Suite 220
Saint Paul, MN 55107
(651) 221-1016
Washington DC Office:
309 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-5641
To contact by email, use this link:
Amy Klobuchar, U.S. Senator for Minnesota
Twin Cities/Metro Office:
1200 Washington Avenue South, Room 250
Minneapolis, MN 55415
(612) 727-5220
Washington, DC Office:
302 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-3244
To contact by email, use this link:
Congressman Keith Ellison
House of Representatives
5th Congressional District of Minnesota
Minneapolis Office: (612) 522-1212
Washington Office: (202) 225-4755
To contact by email, use this link:
Congresswoman Betty McCollum
House of Representatives
4th Congressional District of Minnesota
Washington, DC office:
1714 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-6631
St. Paul Office:
165 Western Avenue North, Suite #17
St. Paul, Minnesota 55102
(651) 224-9191
To contact by email, use this link:
Susan Weller, Executive Director
Bell Museum of Natural History
10 Church Street SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455
(612) 626-9660
To contact by email:
[email protected]Eric Kaler
President of the University of Minnesota
202 Morrill Hall
100 Church Street S.E.
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN 55455
(612) 625-3875
To contact by email:
Senator Sandra L. Pappas
President of the Senate
323 Capital Building
75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55155-1606
(651) 296-1802
To send email, use this link:
Senator Kari Dziedzic
235 Capitol Building
75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55155-1606
(651) 296-7809
To send email, use this link:
Representative Carlos Mariani
381 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55155-1206
(651) 296-9714
To send email, use this link:
Representative Phyllis Kahn
365 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55155-1206
(651) 296-4257
To send email, use this link:
