Ann Beha Architects, a Boston-based Architectural firm, was commissioned to design the renovation and expansion of Arkell Hall Foundation’s existing Arts Center and Library. In addition to enhancing the visitor experience and showcasing the outstanding art collection under the Foundation’s care, ABA will also create an appealing outdoor space for festivals and concerts. The Canajoharie Library and Art Center was founded in 1924 both as the town’s public library and a museum of American Art. The art gallery enjoys a reputation as one of the finest small galleries in the United States and has a permanent collection of more than 350 paintings and works of sculpture that highlight the development of American Art from colonial times through the mid-20th century. The collection includes works by artists like Winslow Homer, Andrew Wyeth, George Inness, Grandma Moses, Frederick Remington, John Singer Sargent and Childe Hassaam.

The mission of the Canajoharie Library and Art Gallery is to contribute to an environment in which education, knowledge, recreational reading, the arts and regional cultural history are available, appreciated and valued. The library and art gallery fulfills this mission by providing public library and museum services to a wide, diverse and growing audience.

Project Goals from the beginning included:

Providing a cultural and economic catalyst for Canajoharie and the Mohawk Valley
Creating an art and history facility that provides permanent home for the art collection amassed by Bartlett Arkell
Strengthen the unique connection between the library and the museum
Tell the distinctive story of Canajoharie, Bartlett Arkell, and the region through history, culture and art
Provide a recognizable Town Square for gathering and green space for recreation, concerts, and civic events
Foster connections with similar organizations and build a sustainable institutional culture
 

Project Team:

Architect: Ann Beha Architects
Boston, MA
www.annbeha.com

Landscape
Architect: Stephen Stimson Associates
Falmouth, MA

Exhibition
Design: Amaze Design, Inc.
Boston, MA

General
Contractor: Sano-Rubin Construction
Albany, NY