named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Cure Porch on Wheels
Mobile exhibit and education initiative that brings the history of tuberculosis treatment and cure cottages directly to the community
Historic Building Preservation
Maintains and promotes two historic buildings, including the Saranac Laboratory Museum, and leads efforts for museum expansion and accessibility
School Outreach Program
Provides in-class presentations, museum tours, and oral history projects for students from elementary through college levels; includes teacher workshops and arts-integrated history projects
Special Exhibits
Rotating in-person and online exhibits on topics including automotive history, sanatorium architecture, pet portraiture, and pandemic parallels
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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Local History Preservation and Education 2 activities
- Curate and preserve historical collectionsMaintains and provides care, storage, and organization for a collection of artifacts, photographs, and documents related to Saranac Lake’s history, particularly the tuberculosis industry, including items such as Dr. Trudeau’s photograph and patient-created arts and crafts, and uses these collections in exhibits and public programming.
- Produce digital and public history contentOperates a blog titled "History Matters" featuring collection highlights, staff writings, and event announcements, and produces audio tours and short films to extend public access to local history and museum programming.
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Endowment and Gift Fund Management 1 activity
- Advance organizational capacity and endowment growthGrew the organization’s endowment from $10,000 to over $550,000 and led a campaign for museum expansion to support long-term sustainability and programming growth.
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Comprehensive K–12 Arts Education 1 activity
- Deliver educational outreach and school programsLeads in-class presentations, coordinates oral history projects, hosts a summer workshop for teachers, collaborates with local artists on an annual Arts in Education project for seventh graders, and organizes music workshops on Béla Bartók for high school students, in addition to managing the Cure Porch on Wheels initiative.
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Historic Site Public Programming 1 activity
- Develop and host public exhibits and educational programmingProduces rotating exhibits on topics including sanatoria architecture, automotive history, pets in community life, 1920s fashion, and parallels between the tuberculosis and COVID-19 pandemics; also hosts public events such as grand openings, open houses, and speaker series to engage the community.
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Historic Building Restoration and Preservation 1 activity
- Manage and maintain historic buildingsOversees the preservation and operation of the Saranac Laboratory Museum, the Trudeau Building, and the Bartók Cabin, including architectural maintenance and interpretation of these sites for public education and visitation.
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Local History Museum Operations 1 activity
- Operate public museum and historic sitesOperates the Saranac Laboratory Museum and Bartók Cabin as year-round public sites open Tuesday through Saturday, offering front-line visitor services, self-guided and docent-led tours, exhibits, audio tours, and short films on tuberculosis, local history, and medical heritage.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$1.42M
Contributions & grants$1.50M106%
Program service revenue$24K2%
Investment income$5K0%
Other revenue$-108K
expenses
Total expenses$372K
Program expenses45%
Admin / overhead52%
Fundraising3%
Salaries & benefits$237K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$6.12M
Cash$781K
Investments$513K
Liabilities$14K
Net assets$6.10M
Liquid reserves41.8 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -42.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
board members · 14
- CHAPIN DAVID — DIRECTOR
- CHENEY-SEYMOUR AMY — DIRECTOR
- COHEN NANCY — DIRECTOR
- GILLARD REBECCA — DIRECTOR
- GRABE JOAN — DIRECTOR
- GREENE ANN — SECRETARY
- HARRISON LYNN — DIRECTOR
- KILROY-GARSO MARIE — TREASURER
- LANDES JUDY — DIRECTOR
- LAUROESCH LISA — PRESIDENT
- LITTLE MELINDA — DIRECTOR
- MINEHAN ELIZABETH — DIRECTOR
- MURPHY NANCY — DRIRECTOR
- ROBERSON SUZANNE — VICE-PRESIDE
relationships · 29
Who they work with
- Adirondack Wild: Friends of the Forest Preserve Partner — Board member Suzanne Roberson serves on the board of Adirondack Wild, suggesting organizational alignment or collaboration.
- Ann Pecora Diamond Partner — Donated a photograph to the organization's collection.
- Apogee Exhibits Partner — Exhibit design and fabrication partner for the expanded museum campus.
- Bishop Beaudry Construction Partner — Construction partner for the museum campus expansion.
- Cloudsplitter Foundation Funder — Provided continued support to Historic Saranac Lake
- Dittrick Museum of Medical History Partner — Consulted on the Medical Marvels exhibit.
- Essex County Arts Council Funder — Provides a Cultural Assistance Program Grant to Historic Saranac Lake, supported by the Essex County Board of Supervisors
- Essex County Arts Council Cultural Assistance Program Funder — Provided continued support to Historic Saranac Lake
- Golub Foundation Funder — Provided continued support to Historic Saranac Lake
- Haudenosaunee Government — Recognizes the museum is located on unceded Haudenosaunee homeland and affirms respect for their sovereignty and enduring presence.
- High Peaks Builders Partner — Builder involved in the museum campus expansion project.
- Humanities NY Funder — Provided continued support to Historic Saranac Lake
- Humanities NY Partner — Supported the Roaring Twenties exhibit and the Medical Marvels exhibit.
- Hyperion String Quartet Partner — Collaborated on music workshops for high school students focused on Béla Bartók and his time in Saranac Lake.
- Ida Weinstock Haar Partner — Co-sublessor of the cabin and local resident who recalled personal interactions with Bartók in the surrounding woods.
- Joan Grabe Family Fund at Adirondack Community Foundation Funder — Major donor supporting the museum campus expansion project.
- M. A. Levy Partner — Assisted the Bartóks in finding the cabin and was a personal connection to the local community.
- MJ Engineering Partner — Engineering services provider for the museum campus expansion.
- Maddens Transfer & Storage Partner — Logistics partner supporting the museum expansion project.
- Maks Haar Partner — Sublet the cabin to the Bartóks and hosted them as tenants; his guest book contains an inscription from the couple.
- NY State Council on the Arts Funder — Provided continued support to Historic Saranac Lake
- National Trust for Historic Preservation Government — Recognized Saranac Lake as a Distinctive Destination.
- New York State Council on the Arts Funder — Funds Historic Saranac Lake with support from the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature
- New York State Council on the Arts Funder — Provides annual Arts in Education Grant to support programs connecting students to local history.
- Ripley’s Believe It or Not!® Partner — Provided medical curiosities on loan for the Medical Marvels exhibit.
- Stewart’s Foundation Funder — Provided continued support to Historic Saranac Lake
- Tri-Lakes Humane Society Partner — Board member Melinda Little serves on the board of the Tri-Lakes Humane Society, indicating cross-sector civic involvement.
- Upper Saranac Lake Association Partner — Board members serve on the Upper Saranac Lake Association and its Cultural Committee, indicating collaborative engagement.
- Village of Saranac Lake Board of Trustees Government — Board member Melinda Little was elected to the Village of Saranac Lake Board of Trustees, reflecting formal civic integration.
strategies · 5
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Arts-Integrated and Experiential Learningmethodology: arts-integrated educationBy collaborating with local artists to deliver history education in middle schools, the organization deepens student connection to local history because arts integration fosters emotional and cognitive engagement more effectively than traditional instruction alone.
- Community-Engaged Historical Preservationmethodology: community-based historical preservationBy integrating community participation, volunteer involvement, and local events into preservation work, the organization strengthens public stewardship of local history because community ownership increases engagement and sustainability of preservation efforts.
- Contextual and Thematic Historical Framingmethodology: cultural-heritage-preservation-through-environmental-contextBy framing historical narratives around themes such as pandemic parallels, automotive mobility as a democratizing force, and environmental influence on creativity, the organization makes history relevant and relatable because thematic connections help audiences draw meaning from the past in relation to their own lives.
- Education Through Curated Collections and Public Accessmethodology: collections-based educationBy using curated historical collections in self-guided exhibits, open houses, and expanded campus facilities, the organization enhances public understanding of local history because accessible, tangible artifacts deepen visitor engagement and learning.
- Mobile and Digital Outreach for Democratized Accessmethodology: mobile_historic_outreachBy bringing historical content directly to the public through mobile units like the Cure Porch on Wheels and digital platforms such as blogs, the organization increases equitable access to local history because removing physical and geographic barriers allows broader, more diverse audiences to engage.