The Nevada Northern Railway Museum in Ely, Nevada is celebrating its twentieth anniversary and is asking for your opinion on where it should be in another twenty years. What’s your vision?

“You are the museum director of the best-preserved standard gauge rail facility left in America; it is your responsibility to preserve it, maintain it, and interpret it for the public. What will the museum be like in twenty years under your stewardship? How will you reach these goals? Where will you find the money to achieve these goals?â€

Move closer to a major highway. Or, move a major highway closer to you. Create destination type things besides the railroad which will bring a variety of tourists to your area, then you can grab them for a train ride while there.

dave

Turn it into a general transportation museum. Hang airplanes and spacecraft in the main shop. Add some old automobiles, then branch out into other areas of history totally unrelated to railroads.

This is a good idea - and having done a fair bit of research in this area I would definately like to contribute. However, this is a really close deadine in order to produce something meaningful. Will you still look at proposals submitted after Nov. 1? Off hand, with many many other things in the stack I personally couldn't see getting something like this out before mid January.

I appreciate your interest but as simply the messenger I cannot answer your question with authority. I suggest you contact the museum directly and speak with Mark Bassett, executive director.

Nevada Northern Railway Museum
P.O. Box 150040
East Ely, Nevada 89315-0400

Toll Free: 866-40STEAM (866-407-8326)
or 775-289-2085

Fax: 775-289-6284

Mark Bassett email: nnry1@mwpower.net


Cheers,

The Association of Railway Museums National Convention will be visiting East Ely next week. How about giving the delegates that visit you a questionnaire to be returned that day, or alternately to be turned in at the main Convention site in Ogden later in the week if you can arrange pickup.

Better yet, attend the convention and bring it up at an evening round table.

Couple of comments.

One follow up on Phil Mulligan's comments. Get in put from others who have been there.

Another is to have a moderated planning session for your Board and Officrs with the direction of determining the Threats, Opportunities, Strengths and Weaknesses of your organization. If this is well done, you will develope and or refine your mission statement and develope an action plan to move forward with.

Have you read Recommended Practices for Railway Museums? This is available on line from the ARM website at railwaymuseums.org

Seems like you are trying to find all the answers in too short of a time.

Good Luck.

I know this is a tight timeline. But this is only the beginning point. All input will be accepted. I have hopes of having a draft plan by April 2005
Mark Bassett
Executive Director