Information

The Museum of Russian Icons is a 150-year-old former mill building. The museum renovation was based on plans by designer David Durrant and implemented by contractor T.H. Smith. Working together with subcontractors Murray Brothers Construction and Benson Woodworking, they gutted, strengthened, re-roofed, and refurbished the interior of the dilapidated three-story structure. All of the exterior south-facing windows are black glass panels that block all exterior light. Much of the renovation involved manufacturing components off site and then installing them in the totally refurbished building.


The New Museum of Russian Icons is a "Green" Building Featuring Solar Power, LED Lighting, and Automated Displays. An innovation on the roof includes photovoltaic panels. According to David Durrant, who designed the restoration of the building into the new Museum, "Gordon told us he wanted a facility that would stack up against the great museums of this country, and we believe that is what we have done." The look is deceptive. Outside, except for a cut-metal sign that says Museum of Russian Icons and a spread of solar panels covering half of the roof, the building has been restored to the original brick façade with gabled roof that was built facing the Town of Clinton’s Central Park more than a century and a half ago.

Step inside, where technology has married art, and you begin to see what an integrated photovoltaic, timber-framed truss roof system can do. The building is self-sufficient for electricity, with 44 photovoltaic panels each capable of 13 KW hours powering low voltage fluorescent and LED (light emitting diode) lighting in multiple colors that bring the canvas-covered, expansive walls to life. The photovoltaic system is connected to a public electricity grid co-generation system, through which the building actually has provided extra power that has been purchased by the local utility since the power system was turned on two months ago. Heat is by natural gas.

The Museum fills all three floors of the 4,800 sq. ft. building. The top floor is the main gallery; the middle floor has galleries, a conference room and offices; and the bottom floor houses a café, mechanical rooms, rest rooms and more gallery space. The levels are connected by custom-designed, sweeping metal and glass stairways that allow visual access to all three floors from any place in the museum. The floors also are all connected by an elevator; the building is totally ADA compliant.