Lord Cultural Resources, the global cultural professional practice, was engaged in 2020 to develop an interpretive, facilities and business strategy for a new museum at Montclair State University in New Jersey, US, exploring the history of Hinchliffe Stadium, one of the last remaining Negro League Ballparks in North America and a site of community activity for the city and surrounding region.
The strategy was the foundation document for the exhibition design. In 2021, the team was re-engaged for turn-key services, with Lord as the lead in content development and fabrication, which was done by Bluewater Studio.
Montclair State University officially opened The Charles J. Muth Museum of Hinchliffe Stadium at a special event on 11 April 2024. The new museum and learning centre will chronicle the history of Hinchliffe and serve as an educational resource for Paterson and Montclair State University students
Distinguished guests and elected officials attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony, honouring Montclair alumnus Chuck Muth and his wife Laura for their transformative support. Muth’s $5 million gift will allow Montclair to serve as an educational partner for the museum to commemorate Hinchliffe Stadium’s history and legacy, one of two remaining Negro League baseball stadiums in the country and a cultural landmark in the community.
A new educational resource
The Muths’ gift continues their support of Montclair State University. Chuck, who grew up near Hinchliffe Stadium, graduated from Montclair in 1977 and has been on the Feliciano School of Business advisory board since 2013. The Muths also have an endowed scholarship at Montclair named for Chuck’s parents, Charles and Madeline, that supports business students from Paterson.
“Growing up in Paterson and attending Montclair State University gave me the foundation I needed to achieve my dreams in business and in life, so to continue our support in this unique way is an incredible opportunity,” says Muth. “To know that this museum will help educate generations of students from the two places that have had the biggest impact on me means the world to us, and we cannot wait to see the community and Montclair students engaging with the history of Hinchliffe Stadium.”
Museum director Jessica Bush says: “Hinchliffe Stadium was constructed as ‘the city stadium’ with Paterson residents in mind. As a component of the Great Falls National Historical Park, our museum offers visitors the chance to discover the stadium’s profound national historical significance, and, alongside Paterson’s other cultural institutions, help to instill a sense of community pride and help to make this city a true travel destination.”
Speaking about the work done by Lord Cultural Resources for this project, Baye Adofo-Wilson, Hinchliffe developer, adds:
“The museum portion of it, the way it looks and designed, the aesthetic, it doesn’t happen without Joy Bailey-Bryant, her team at Lord Cultural Resources [Katherine Molineux and Natalie Bornstein] and her network.”
