By Alex Davidson
Dan Gaydos, who opened the museum in June, said he hopes to expand programming and educational opportunities in the museum's future location. The problem is that Gaydos and other partners with the Museum of Sound Recording have yet to find a new permanent venue.
“Our agreement is over and we will be out by the end of February,” Gaydos said in an interview with the TimesLedger. “We are hoping our new space allows us to do ongoing production day and night.”
Gaydos said he has met with officials in Borough President Helen Marshall's office about finding a new space for the museum to occupy. He said he would like to stay in Queens to best utilize the borough's diversity and multiculturalism.
Visitors to the Museum of Sound Recording during the last few months were able to see exhibits highlighting the development of recording techniques on record, tape and digital formats during the past five decades. They could also see a variety of recording equipment used during the process to transfer audio clips to media such as vinyl records and CDs.
But with the museum searching for a home, Gaydos said the equipment owned by the museum is in jeopardy. He said there is no place to store anything and does not know what will happen if the group must leave its headquarters in Richmond Hill before finding a permanent location.
“It is a critical need now to have a new home,” Gaydos said. “We absolutely need some space for these collections.”
Gaydos said he has been in touch with York College about coordinating programming with the institution but the museum has no plans to house its operation at the facility. He said he appreciated using the RKO Keith's building because it gave him a chance to get to know the variety of people living in the borough.
“We got an opportunity to know what we could be able to do for Queens,” Gaydos said. “We want to stay in Queens.”
Reach reporter Alex Davidson by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or by calling 718-229-0300, Ext. 156.
