The beautiful curving architecture of the new Thompson Exhibition Building is shaped by a superstructure of 10 glue-laminated (‘glulam’) ribs. At 105-feet long and rising 26 feet high, these structural ribs are not only functional but they also establish the wooden ship aesthetic that is part of the building’s signature design. The all-wood superstructure is made of multiple layers of Douglas fir, glued together for strength.
Last fall, Mystic Seaport launched Framing the Future, a mini-campaign to raise $1 million for the new building. As part of the larger $15.3 million Museum in Motion Campaign, Framing the Future offered donors the opportunity to name each of the 10 glulams that support the roof and walls of the Thompson Exhibition Building and “frame the future” of Mystic Seaport.
As of the end of March, all 10 glulam support beams were committed and nearly $1 million has been pledged or given to Mystic Seaport. We are incredibly grateful to the generous donors who are supporting the Museum’s transformation.
For more information, please contact Betsy Bowman, campaign manager, at 860.572.0711, ext. 5005 or betsy.bowman@mysticseaport.org/.
