MV Museum has a new grant, architect and development director

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The old Marine Hospital overlooking Vineyard Haven Harbor is the new site of the Martha's Vineyard Museum. — File photo by Ralph Stewart

The Martha’s Vineyard Museum (MVM) issued one announcement after another this week and last, as it continued towards its goal of a new museum in a new location.

Last week, MVM announced that the Massachusetts Cultural Council has awarded the museum a $191,100 matching-fund capital grant. MVM said the grant would be used to support the advanced planning stages of the museum’s future home at a renovated Marine Hospital/St. Pierre School building on Lagoon Pond Road in Vineyard Haven.

The museum last week also announced the selection of Boston-based Oudens Ello Architecture firm as the architects for the new museum renovation project.

Oudens Ello designed the new West Tisbury Library renovation and addition now under construction. They also worked on the Bowdoin College Museum of Art and the South Boston Maritime Park.

This week, MVM announced the appointment of Daniel Waters of West Tisbury as the Museum’s new Development Director, effective immediately.

Mr. Waters is well known in the community. In 2000, he spearheaded the creation of the Martha’s Vineyard Cultural Council, consolidating the six individual town councils into a single Island-wide organization. For his efforts, the Massachusetts Cultural Council awarded him the 2005 Leadership Circle Award.

In 2007, he became a trustee for the West Tisbury Public Library, co-writing a $2.98 million grant for construction of a new library. In addition, he helped form the Library Foundation that raised $1.7 million in private funds for the building and also led the voter information campaign, which resulted in the appropriation of $1.5 million in town assets towards the project.

“We are excited to welcome Dan,” Museum executive director David Nathans said. “His experience with grants and fundraising comes to us at the perfect time as we take the next steps to move to our new campus in Vineyard Haven. Dan has the communication skills and long-term relationships to support our increasingly critical stewardship goals going forward.”

Dan Waters is enthusiastic about his new role. “Restoring the old Marine Hospital to its former glory and using it as the Martha’s Vineyard Museum’s headquarters is a bold, creative act that will put the Island’s heritage front-and-center while preserving an important Island landmark,” he said. “This project grabbed my imagination from the minute I heard about it. The Museum has a venerable past, a vital present, and a bright future, and I’m thrilled to be part of it all.”

Visit www.mvmuseum.org for more information.