Implementation of the Worcester Art Museum's Arms and Armor Galleries
FAIN: GI-278237-21
Worcester Art Museum (Worcester, MA 01609-3123)
Jeffrey Louis Forgeng (Project Director: September 2020 to present)
Implementation of the reinstallation of a permanent collection of medieval arms and armor, including open storage, a visible conservation lab, and a study center.
The Worcester Art Museum (WAM) seeks renewed support from the NEH to assist with the final design and installation of its new permanent 5,000 sq. ft. Arms and Armor Galleries. Featuring almost the entirety of WAM’s 2,000-object Higgins Collection of arms and armor, the galleries will emphasize accessibility, empowering visitors of diverse ages, backgrounds, and a broad spectrum of abilities, to curate their own experience in exploring the stores embodied in these alluring objects. The installation will be multisensory and multimedia to accommodate different learning styles, and will highlight the multiple thematic lenses through which these objects can be understood. The underlying humanities themes shaping the installation include the contrast between the seemingly pragmatic purpose of these objects and their complex functions, and the meaning of their enduring power as symbols today even though they are no longer in actual use.
Associated Products
The Age of Armor: Treasures from the Higgins Armory Collection at the Worcester Art Museum (Catalog)Title: The Age of Armor: Treasures from the Higgins Armory Collection at the Worcester Art Museum
Author: Jeffrey L. Forgeng
Abstract: From the warriors of ancient Greek legends to the knights of the middle ages to today's comic book superheroes, the idea of personal body armor has an enduring hold on the human imagination. Armor is as old and widespread as civilization itself, but full suits of articulated steel plates were made only in Europe, and only for a brief time in the late middle ages and renaissance. Far from the ungainly exoskeleton we often imagine today, the suit of armor was made to be sleek and stylish-painstakingly engineered, elegantly designed, and treasured as the expression of its owner's taste, sophistication, and prowess. This rare exhibition of highlights from one of America's foremost collections of arms and armor explores the story of armor in its golden age.
Year: 2021
Primary URL:
http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1280350936Primary URL Description: Catalog listing on WorldCat.org
Secondary URL:
https://the-museum-shop-at-wam.myshopify.com/products/the-age-of-armorSecondary URL Description: Catalog link on the Worcester Art Museum Shop website
Catalog Type: Exhibition Catalog
Publisher: Worcester Art Museum/the museum box
The Equipment of a Medieval and Renaissance Horse (Film/TV/Video Broadcast or Recording)Title: The Equipment of a Medieval and Renaissance Horse
Writer: Worcester Art Museum
Director: Worcester Art Museum
Producer: Worcester Art Museum
Abstract: Educational video shared on the Museum's YouTube page. Description: Knights weren’t the only ones decked out in specialized equipment on the medieval battlefield. Their horses also needed the proper gear in order to perform effectively.
Year: 2021
Primary URL:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cq6VGpI1rpUPrimary URL Description: YouTube link
Access Model: Open access
Format: Video
Mail Armor (Film/TV/Video Broadcast or Recording)Title: Mail Armor
Writer: Worcester Art Museum
Director: Worcester Art Museum
Producer: Worcester Art Museum
Abstract: Educational video. Description: Before the advent of plate armor, mail armor was the primary mode of defense.
Year: 2021
Primary URL:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xt4HXOco_GIPrimary URL Description: YouTube link
Access Model: Open access
Format: Video
Rise of Plate Armor (Film/TV/Video Broadcast or Recording)Title: Rise of Plate Armor
Writer: Worcester Art Museum
Director: Worcester Art Museum
Producer: Worcester Art Museum
Abstract: Educational video. Decription: While mail armor protected against cuts, plate armor was introduced to provide additional protection against crushing weapons.
Year: 2021
Primary URL:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7k-8_g3iz0APrimary URL Description: YouTube link
Access Model: Open access
Format: Video
The Armorer's Craft (Film/TV/Video Broadcast or Recording)Title: The Armorer's Craft
Writer: Worcester Art Museum
Director: Worcester Art Museum
Producer: Worcester Art Museum
Abstract: Educational video. Description: Decoration could be applied to armor using a variety of techniques to make it more ornate and visually appealing.
Year: 2022
Primary URL:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2twF7Par6BUPrimary URL Description: YouTube link
Access Model: Open access
Format: Video
Medieval and Renaissance Horses (Film/TV/Video Broadcast or Recording)Title: Medieval and Renaissance Horses
Writer: Worcester Art Museum
Director: Worcester Art Museum
Producer: Worcester Art Museum
Abstract: Educational video. Description: What’s a knight without his trusty steed?
Year: 2021
Primary URL:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQDypsgE-2wPrimary URL Description: YouTube link
Access Model: Open access
Format: Video
The John Woodman Higgins Armory Collection (Web Resource)Title: The John Woodman Higgins Armory Collection
Author: Worcester Art Museum
Abstract: A recently revamped webpage documenting the Higgins Collection and the gallery project
Year: 2021
Primary URL:
https://www.worcesterart.org/collection/higgins-collection/Primary URL Description: Link on Worcester Art Museum's website
The Age of Armor: Treasures from the Higgins Armory Collection at the Worcester Art Museum (Exhibition)Title: The Age of Armor: Treasures from the Higgins Armory Collection at the Worcester Art Museum
Curator: Jeffrey L. Forgeng
Abstract: The Age of Armor is a traveling exhibition created by the Worcester Art Museum featuring star objects from the John Woodman Higgins Collection of Arms and Armor. These objects would otherwise be on storage during the development and construction of the permanent Arms and Armor Gallery at WAM. The seven venues were the Toledo Museum of Art (Nov 2021-Feb 2022), Denver Art Museum (May-Sept 2022), Cummer Museum (Oct 2022-Jan 2023), St. Louis Art Museum (Feb-May 2023), Telfair Museums (June-Oct 2023), Huntsville Museum of Art (Nov 2023-Jan 2024), and San Antonio Museum of Art (Feb-May 2024).
Year: 2021
Primary URL:
https://www.denverartmuseum.org/en/exhibitions/age-of-armorPrimary URL Description: Webpage for the exhibition at the Denver Art Museum, where it was on view May 15, 2022 – September 5, 2022.
Secondary URL:
https://www.slam.org/exhibitions/age-of-armor-treasures-from-the-higgins-armor-collection-at-the-worcester-art-museum/Secondary URL Description: Webpage for the exhibition at the Saint Louis Art Museum, where it was on view February 18–May 14, 2023.
Higgins Collection Open Storage App (Web Resource)Title: Higgins Collection Open Storage App
Author: Worcester Art Museum
Abstract: WAM is piloting a digital interactive known as the Open Storage App to replace traditional object labels for objects in the future Arms and Armor gallery, as space in the Gallery will be limited.
The app not only provides information on the objects, but it allows for a rich exploratory experience enriched with contextual information, videos, and powerful search functions. The app, accessible via link or QR code, will also be acessible in the future gallery via iPad kiosks. App content has been created and reviewed by WAM staff and interns and NEH-funded specialists.
Year: 2022
Primary URL:
https://higginsarmory.worcesterart.org/Primary URL Description: Link to the Open Storage app
3D Digital Models from the Higgins Collection (Web Resource)Title: 3D Digital Models from the Higgins Collection
Author: Dale Utt
Author: Worcester Art Museum
Abstract: On Sketchfab.com, WAM has created our first batch of 3D digital models of selected objects from the Higgins Armory Collection. This project was made possible through a collaboration with Dale Utt, the Cleveland Museum of Art’s head of digital modeling, who has generously donated his time and expertise to create these models. As of the date of report submission (August 2024), there are 12 models on the site, with many more in progress.
Year: 2022
Primary URL: sketchfab.com/higginsatwam
Bill (Film/TV/Video Broadcast or Recording)Title: Bill
Writer: Worcester Art Museum
Director: Worcester Art Museum
Producer: Worcester Art Museum
Abstract: Educational video posted on the Museum's YouTube page about the "bill," a medieval device that could be used both as an agricultural tool and a powerful chopping weapon.
Year: 2023
Primary URL:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weUfcRhCm9I&list=PLj9UwqTtbQvMv_MjMHkc8hrRADPS4kx3_&index=2Primary URL Description: YouTube link
Access Model: Open access
Format: Video
John Woodman Higgins and His Armory (Film/TV/Video Broadcast or Recording)Title: John Woodman Higgins and His Armory
Writer: Worcester Art Museum
Director: Worcester Art Museum
Producer: Worcester Art Museum
Abstract: Educational video posted on the Museum's YouTube page about John Woodman Higgins, his life, and how he founded the Higgins Armory and Museum.
Year: 2023
Primary URL:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yXXiDM5bdI&list=PLj9UwqTtbQvMv_MjMHkc8hrRADPS4kx3_&index=3&t=1sPrimary URL Description: YouTube link
Access Model: Open access
Format: Video
Making a Mount for the Bodyguard Glaive with Jon Litwin (Film/TV/Video Broadcast or Recording)Title: Making a Mount for the Bodyguard Glaive with Jon Litwin
Writer: Worcester Art Museum
Director: Worcester Art Museum
Producer: Worcester Art Museum
Abstract: Educational video posted on the Museum's YouTube page with Jon Litwin, mountmaker for Arms and Armor, demonstrating the process for making the mount that will be used to display the Bodyguard Glaive in our upcoming Arms and Armor Gallery
Year: 2024
Primary URL:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWb5VV16B74&list=PLj9UwqTtbQvMv_MjMHkc8hrRADPS4kx3_&index=6Primary URL Description: YouTube link
Access Model: Open access
Format: Video
Jon Litwin, Mountmaker for Arms & Armor (Film/TV/Video Broadcast or Recording)Title: Jon Litwin, Mountmaker for Arms & Armor
Writer: Worcester Art Museum
Director: Worcester Art Museum
Producer: Worcester Art Museum
Abstract: Educational video on the Worcester Art Museum's YouTube page: Meet Jon Litwin, an expert mountmaker from Rhode Island. Mountmaking is the craft of creating the supports and display apparatuses for museum objects. We got a behind-the-scenes look at Jon’s studio, process, and mounts as he prepares for the new Arms & Armor Galleries at WAM.
Year: 2024
Primary URL:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-oj6XdRZOU&list=PLj9UwqTtbQvMv_MjMHkc8hrRADPS4kx3_&index=6Primary URL Description: YouTube link
Access Model: Open access
Format: Video
AV Program/Animation to be projected in the future Arms & Armor Galleries (Film/TV/Video Broadcast or Recording)Title: AV Program/Animation to be projected in the future Arms & Armor Galleries
Writer: Worcester Art Museum
Writer: Richard Lewis Media Group
Director: Richard Lewis Media Group
Producer: Richard Lewis Media Group
Abstract: Using NEH funds, the Museum hired Richard Lewis Media Group to create an AV program to be projected in arches in the future Arms & Armor Galleries. The animation includes images from WAM's outstanding collection of two-dimensional art from across centuries and around the world, providing color, context, and immersivity to the future gallery.
Year: 2024
Primary URL:
https://vimeo.com/941335398/b032ec190c?share=copyPrimary URL Description: Private Vimeo link posted by Richard Lewis Media Group
Access Model: Currently accessible by private link; animation will be projected at the Worcester Art Museum in late 2025
Format: Video
Format: Digital File
Format: Other
Preview of the Arms and Armor Galleries with Curator Jeffrey Forgeng (Public Lecture or Presentation)Title: Preview of the Arms and Armor Galleries with Curator Jeffrey Forgeng
Abstract: Dr. Jeffrey L. Forgeng, the Higgins Curator of Arms and Armor and Medieval Art at the Worcester Art Museum, presented a public lecture titled Curator Talk: Preview of the Arms and Armor Galleries. He shared a special preview of the future Galleries through renderings, photos, and behind-the-scenes stories, conveying this information to a sold-out room of community members, most of whom were learning this exciting information for the first time.
Author: Dr. Jeffrey L. Forgeng
Author: Worcester Art Museum
Date: 6/16/2024
Location: Worcester Art Museum
Primary URL:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0-zEPTG6u0&t=1sPrimary URL Description: YouTube link
Arms and Armor Gallery in the Making (Exhibition)Title: Arms and Armor Gallery in the Making
Curator: Dr. Natasha Mao
Curator: Dr. Jeffrey L. Forgeng
Abstract: While the Museum's Arms and Armor Galleries are under construction, the Team created a temporary installation outside the future Galleries titled Arms and Armor Gallery in the Making. This installation offers visitors real-time glimpses of the behind-the-scenes work that is bringing the Galleries ever-closer to opening day. Rotating wall graphics share elements of the design plans and renderings of the future space; social media-style posts highlight various aspects of the ongoing work, such as photography, mountmaking, and conservation; and a video player offers a live look at the objects and how they are being made ready for display. This installation went live at the end of April 2024, and is being rotated every three months until the Galleries open in late 2025. The area also features a pilot “community curation” project, in which people from outside the Museum have the chance to create displays, a feature we are planning to incorporate into the permanent Galleries.
Year: 2024
Primary URL:
https://www.worcesterart.org/exhibitions/arms-and-armor-galleries-in-the-making/Primary URL Description: Installation webpage on the Museum's website
Arms and Armor + Higgins YouTube playlist (Web Resource)Title: Arms and Armor + Higgins YouTube playlist
Author: Worcester Art Museum
Abstract: Video playlist on the Worcester Art Museum's YouTube page with 64 videos featuring the Museum's Higgins Armory Collection and arms and armor.
Year: 2021
Primary URL:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLj9UwqTtbQvMv_MjMHkc8hrRADPS4kx3_&si=jkO8eoYpI2OcxLpcMannequins for suits of armor (Equipment)Name: Mannequins for suits of armor
Description: Displaying a large number of suits of armor in the future Arms and Armor Galleries requires a design that is both versatile and economical. The Museum worked with external contractors Sean Powell and Meadhall Outfitters to develop a standard design based on a plywood frame with ethafoam and fabric finishing. This design was piloted in our touring exhibition Age of Armor, and based on this experience, the design was iterated a final time in early 2024, prior to a production run in summer 2024.
Location: Worcester Art Museum
Year: 2024
Three custom mannequins for suits of armor (Equipment)Name: Three custom mannequins for suits of armor
Description: The three central suits in the Museum's future Arms and Armor Galleries' front gallery--because of their centrality to the visitor experience--required custom mannequins to maximize their impact. For these, the Museum contracted Astrida Schaeffer, who fabricated the mannequins used in the 2017 reinstallation of arms and armor at the Art Institute of Chicago. The first mannequin was completed in Spring 2024, and the other two will be completed by Fall 2024.
Location: Worcester Art Museum
Year: 2024