named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Current and Rotating Exhibits
Themed exhibits such as "Indian" Patent Medicines, Bottles from Hampton National Historic Site, and Of Buildings and Bears: The Fanciful World of Figural Bottles
Jan Rutland Memorial Artists' Space
Regional art gallery featuring rotating open-call exhibitions across media, including themed shows like "Art of the Bottle" and "All Sculpture Show"
Permanent Exhibits
Year-round displays including Spouting Springs, Bottles of the USA, and Glass that Glows, showcasing historical and collectible glass bottles
Research Library
Publicly accessible library supporting research on historic bottles and glass artifacts
activities · 7 groups
What they do
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Community Event Fundraising 1 activity
- Conduct special fundraising and community eventsHosts events such as silent art auctions, jewelry sales with educational demonstrations, wine tastings, cooking lessons, and candle or bread making activities, often tied to membership benefits or donor contributions.
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Local History Preservation and Education 1 activity
- Deliver educational outreach programs on bottle historyProvides educational presentations on bottle history and production to schools, historical societies, and community groups, both on-site and off-site.
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Membership Program Administration 1 activity
- Manage membership program with tiered benefitsOffers a structured membership program with tiered benefits including free admission, discounts in the gift shop, reduced fees at the annual bottle show, free access to lectures and events, museum passes for friends, recognition on donor plaques, features in newsletters, and invitations to exclusive events such as exhibit openings and annual gatherings with specialty activities.
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Curated Art Exhibitions and Public Displays 1 activity
- Operate JRM Artists' Space gallery for local and regional artistsManages an art gallery that hosts rotating exhibitions, including open call shows featuring over 100 works from regional artists, abstract art exhibitions, and themed events like the Art of the Bottle IX. The gallery supports artists across multiple media and generates revenue through a 25% commission on artwork sales.
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Art and Antique Research, Curation, and Sales 1 activity
- Produce and distribute educational publicationsProduces and distributes a twice-yearly newsletter focused on antique bottle manufacturing, identification, and collecting.
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Specialized Research Library Access 1 activity
- Provide public access to a research library for bottle collectors and studentsOperates a research library open to the public and members, supporting study and education in antique bottle manufacturing, identification, and collecting.
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Uncategorized 3 activities
- Administer adopt-an-orphan-bottle donation programOffers a $5.00 donation-based program allowing supporters to "adopt" orphan bottles, contributing to collection preservation efforts.
- Host annual Saratoga Antique Bottle Show and SaleSponsors and hosts the annual Saratoga Antique Bottle Show and Sale (also known as the Saratoga Show), a recurring event open to participants from the U.S., Canada, and Great Britain, featuring early admission and running from 9 AM to 2 PM.
- Operate public museum exhibitions on glass bottles and bottle-making historyDisplays over 3,000 bottles in a permanent collection and hosts rotating exhibits such as pre-machine made bottles, figural bottles, uranium glass, and mineral water bottling history. The museum features curated displays including "Indian" Patent Medicines and "Glass Factory Mountain: People, Process, Product," with exhibits updated regularly using donated or deaccessioned collections.
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financials · form 990 · fy2019
revenue
Total revenue$90K
Contributions & grants$86K95%
Program service revenue$4K5%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$35K
Program expenses20%
Admin / overhead80%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$14K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$206K
Cash$105K
Investments$0
Liabilities$22K
Net assets$184K
Liquid reserves36.3 mo
1 years on record · 2019–2019
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2019
Who runs it
paid leadership · 2
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gary R Moeller | Director | 0 | $14K |
| Kevin Longacker | Treasurer of the Board of Tru | 5 | $5 |
board members · 3
- Adam Stoddard — Trustee
- Phil Bernnard — Trustee
- Roy Topka — Trustee
relationships · 12
Who they work with
- Alfred Z. Solomon Charitable Trust Funder — Provided grant funding for museum improvements and exhibits.
- Board of Regents of the New York State Education Department Government — Chartered the National Bottle Museum as a not-for-profit educational institution.
- Elinor and Ronald Arendt Funder — Provided a generous donation that made the Spatter Glass exhibit possible.
- Federation of Historic Bottle Collectors Partner — Hosts the organization's website, Virtual Museum, and Auction Reports.
- Guild of Adirondack Artists Partner — Hosts exhibitions featuring members of the Guild of Adirondack Artists.
- JRM Artists' Space Partner — Art gallery housed within the museum for artists to showcase and promote their work.
- Marla Cohen Partner — Rutland, Vermont jeweler and artisan who participated in a jewelry sale and provided educational demonstrations at the museum.
- National Parks Service Partner — Transferred a collection of historic bottles to the National Bottle Museum through deaccessioning.
- Network for Good Funder — Provided grant funding to support museum operations.
- North American Reciprocal Museum Association Network — Member organization providing reciprocal access to over 1,300 museums in North America.
- Oakroom Artists Partner — Hosts annual art showcases featuring members of the Oakroom Artists collective.
- Pomeroy Foundation Funder — Provided grant funding to support museum programs.
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.
- Community-Driven Curation and Inclusive Participationmethodology: community-curated exhibitionBy involving the collecting community in curatorial decisions through participatory voting and open-call exhibitions, the museum strengthens regional representation and public investment in bottle history, because inclusive processes foster ownership and sustained engagement.
- Cultural-Historical Interpretation of Bottlesmethodology: cultural-historical interpretationBy using bottle collections to trace cultural narratives—such as the marketing of patent medicines—the museum reveals historical social dynamics and problematic representations, because material objects serve as entry points to broader societal analysis.
- Digital Access Through Institutional Partnershipsmethodology: digital-resource-partnershipBy hosting digital resources from partner organizations like the Federation of Historic Bottle Collectors, the museum expands public access to specialized knowledge, because collaboration amplifies reach and preserves niche expertise beyond physical collections.
- Preservation, Research, and Exhibition as Public Educationmethodology: preservation-research-exhibitionBy preserving bottles and related artifacts, conducting research, and creating exhibitions, the museum advances public understanding of bottlemaking history and cultural significance, because structured interpretation of material culture enables deeper historical engagement.
- Thematic and Symbolic Engagement for Broader Relevancemethodology: bottle-themed curationBy requiring bottle-themed curation in art exhibitions and offering symbolic bottle adoptions, the museum reinforces its core mission while expanding access to art and generating support, because thematic consistency paired with symbolic participation deepens visitor connection and funding potential.