American Precision Museum’s new vision, planned expansion

Community and manufacturing leaders from throughout VT and the US gathered in Windsor, Vermont, to celebrate the launch of a new vision for the American Precision Museum. More than 75 guests joined APM board and staff for a presentation of the museum's new strategic plan and initial concepts for new interactive exhibit designs and expanded STEM+M (science, technology, engineering, mathematics + manufacturing) education and career awareness programming.

Speakers at the event included APM Board Chair Lee Morris, Co-Executive Director Steve Dalessio, longtime supporter and funder Sarah Huskey of the Farley Family Charitable Foundation, and APM’s new Co-Executive Director Greg DeFrancis.

A major priority of the museum’s new five-year strategic objectives is to work with industry and workforce development partners in changing the narrative of what today’s manufacturing looks and feels like and the exciting future-focused career opportunities in our industry.

To achieve this and other goals of the strategic plan, a major expansion is planned for the museum’s second floor, which will include 3,800ft² of new exhibition, classroom, and meeting spaces. Using the backdrop of manufacturing history, the museum plans to work with industry collaborators to create new maker and STEM+M education programs directly connected to manufacturing technologies and careers. New interactive exhibits that provide hands-on experiences for visitors are also included in the plan.

While there is strong emphasis on educating youth, the space will also be used for adult programming and be available for community and corporate functions. The expansion will be partially funded by a grant from the Vermont Community Recovery and Revitalization Program. The added facilities will attract new audiences and significantly increase the public’s access to the museum. To develop the new exhibits and classroom space, APM has tapped Roto, a world-class museum design firm based in Dublin, Ohio.

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“My involvement with the American Precision Museum spans many years… and while I am incredibly proud of this museum and what it has accomplished, I have never been more excited about the potential for positive impact on community, region, and nation.  I am hoping that those learning about APM and its new vision are inspired to help support APM to achieve its mission in the future,” says Morris, APM board chair and chairman of the Morris Group of Windsor, Connecticut.

Attendees had the opportunity to tour existing exhibits that provide an overview of the illustrious history of precision manufacturing and Precision Valley, along with one of the nation's largest collections of precision machine tools. Hands-on education kits from the museum’s wildly successful STEM+M Pathways program were also on display. These STEM kits were created in collaboration with curriculum experts from SparkShop, a nonprofit in Chicago that shares the mission of inspiring the next generation.  So far, the kits have served fourth, fifth and sixth grade classrooms in under-resourced schools throughout Vermont and New Hampshire and have been equally popular with teachers and students.  The collaborative team is currently exploring viable models to scale the program in the near future.

The event was also the first opportunity museum patrons had to meet DeFrancis, who joined the APM staff in September. DeFrancis brings more than 35 years of STEM education and museum development experience to the organization from a range of institutions, including MIT and the Montshire Museum of Science. His experience in leading complex education initiatives with multiple partners and stakeholders and his work in visitor experience design and program evaluation is a perfect complement to Dalessio’s expertise in the evolution of manufacturing technologies from the mid-19th century to the present day, as exhibited in the Museum’s galleries.

DeFrancis shared key components of APM’s new strategic plan including refreshed mission and vision statements, organizational values, and strategic goals.

“I am excited to share the leadership role of APM with Greg. The expertise Greg brings to the museum is essential to achieving our Strategic Goals,” Dalessio says.

“The new strategic plan springs from the Museum’s previous planning work and SWOT analysis, and as importantly, through a series of listening sessions and interviews with over one hundred people – community leaders, educators, historic preservationists, partners in advanced manufacturing and career development, and other stakeholders. We now have a road map for the next five years that is ambitious and will guide our work as we create new visitor and educational experiences that are relevant, inclusive, and impactful. There is a great need for our work – from sharing the story of Precision Valley to welcoming all to become the next generation of innovators, creators, and makers that move our manufacturing technologies and society forward. I’m thrilled to be joining the APM team at this moment to help bring this new vision to life,” DeFrancis says.

The leadership team at APM invites members of the metalworking industry to get involved and help make the new vision a reality by visiting https://americanprecision.org/getinvolved/.