Don’t Call It a Museum
Finally getting a building in which to open The Beachcoming Center after a decade-long journey that started in Maine (as The Sea Glass Center) is so exciting but comes with many challenges. I am not someone with a background in fancy museum shit. I’m learning as I go. I’m intimidated by “real museums.” I’ll never be accredited by anyone. Shit, at this point I don’t know how I’m going to make it through the daunting county permitting process just to get open. And renovations take a thousand times longer than you think.
Everywhere I go people ask when we are opening, and not knowing the answer couldn’t be more frustrating. When the painters are done? When I pack up and move both my business and a bunch of museum cases and collections and figure out how to exhibit and label everything? When all the hundred ducks of insurance, bookkeeping, retail, volunteers I don’t yet have, and a thousand other details somehow fall into place? Who knows.
I feel badly about missing the sea glass show in Lewes I had planned to attend- it turned out to be the week of both my daughter’s high school graduation and my oldest daughter’s wedding dress shopping weekend, so I am flying to Arizona to be with her– I have not seen her in over a year and having finally been vaccinated I am excited about the trip. I am sorry to have missed the show, but family first. I remember a time when I missed family events for sea glass shows and I’m not in a place in my life where I want to do that anymore. Once I have the new building open, I will host educational events there and am happy for folks to come visit me in my new old-lady-museum digs. Perhaps my days of gallivanting around the country playing sea glass Disney Princess (I always like the villains better- HA!) are coming to an end…
The Beach Bank (what I named the building because it has always been a bank for 125 years) will not be a traditional place. It will be eclectic, and eccentric, and edgy and wow, so many E words. I’m feeling so overwhelmed and frightened of how I can’t seem to get everything together on my own- a museum space (I need to stop using that word and not put that evil on myself), retail space, and my candlemaking studio– it’s just so much for one person. I find myself wishing I had a business partner. I think about, even fantasize about her. Maybe if I keep wishing, I can manifest her into existence. She’ll be organized, have the great mind for business I don’t have, and maybe be a good cook or at least someone who can remember to bring a sandwich. Someone who loves craft nights at the Beach Bank, maybe some wild karaoke nights too, and will help me make this vision a reality and not have to do it all on my own. If I keep believing she could walk into the Beach Bank doors, maybe one day she will. Because doing it all on my own is a lot. But one day at a time; I’m doing the best I can. I really just want to pour candles and share my love for beach finds. I’m happy to finally have a space to do it in!
I know, I know… one day at a time…