Authorizing the Mayor to submit to the Institute of Museum Services a grant application for general operating support monies for Discovery Hall

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r4. I. Museum Services Are the applicant's services of high quality? How will their quality be maintained or improved by the general operational support requested? In the answer, the applicant should relate the present museum services to the purpose of the museum, the museum's staff and facilities, and the impact of an IMS award on cur- rent services. Discovery Hall is a municipal museum of the industrial history of the South Bend area. The Museum's purpose is to "interpret and depict, through research, exhibits and programs, the development of local industry, technology and commerce ". This purpose is interpreted to include the effect of industrialization on the human popu- lation, especially the lives of the workers. Discovery Hall is housed in a 12,000 square foot exhibition hall which is part of the Century Center arts /convention complex, operated by the City of South Bend. There is also a research library and staff offices in Century Center, but most storage, including the bulk of the Studebaker archives is off -site. Century Center, and Dis- covery Hall designed by Philip Johnson and John Burgee, opened in 1977. Discovery Hall will soon be installin% with the assistance of an implementation grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, major interpretive exhibits re- lating to the industrial history of South Bend. We expect that these exhibits will bring Regional and National attention to Discovery Hall as a museum interpreting re- levant issues in a timely way. Discovery Hall's visitor services, include: access to the research library, tours, and a slide /tape outreach program. The museum is open thirty -five hours a week, every day but Monday. The research library is open 40 hours per week Monday through Friday. The museum has a permanent staff of four full time positions. These are Director, Curator, Secretary, and a Collections Technician, who also acts as security guard on weekdays. There is a part -time security guard for weekends and special events. Main- tenance is provided by CETA and Century Center maintenance personnel. (May be continued on following page) 11