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New Philibert Cultural Center and Museum in Massena opening Nov. 3 with celebration

Posted 10/28/16

MASSENA -- Massena will celebrate the opening of the new town museum on Nov. 3. The town’s Museum Board will officially introduce to the public the Celine G. Philibert Cultural Center and Museum at …

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New Philibert Cultural Center and Museum in Massena opening Nov. 3 with celebration

Posted

MASSENA -- Massena will celebrate the opening of the new town museum on Nov. 3.

The town’s Museum Board will officially introduce to the public the Celine G. Philibert Cultural Center and Museum at 4:30 p.m. that day.

It is in the former SeaComm branch at 79 Main St.

Massena Historian MaryEllen Casselman said there will be a ribbon-cutting at 5 p.m. and speakers including Town Supervisor Joseph Gray, Museum Board President Joe Macaulay and Randy Peets introducing Remington Museum Director Laura Foster.

The Remington is loaning a display for a few months.

Casselman said there will be tours, both guided and self-guided.

The center’s exhibits include a timeline chronicling the history of white settlers in Massena from the 1700s through today.

“I think the timeline is going to be really interesting. It’s something we’ve really done before,” Casselman said. “People can see how Massena developed from the early power canal, to all the activity at the springs, to Alcoa coming in. Massena really does have a very rich history.”

She said some of what’s on display has been in the museum’s possession for some time, but was only discovered when they moved out of the old Massena Museum at 200 East Orvis St.

“In the process of moving, we’ve found a lot of things I didn’t know we had. We’re going to be exhibiting a lot of things we’re never had before,” Casselman said.

Once the old building sells, they will use that money to build a new enclosure for an 1860s hearse that is now housed on East Orvis Street.

Peets bought and donated the Philibert building last year. He gave it in memory of its namesake, his partner of 20 years who died of cancer in December 2013. She moved from France to the United States to teach French in the SUNY Potsdam Modern Language Department. They traveled the world together and shared an affinity for museums and culture.