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The Burnham Block Tours Suspended through at least December 31st, 2020

September 15th, 2020 - by Mike Lilek

Our key Museum Operations leadership has decided our tour program should remain suspended through at least December 31st, 2020. Our reopening plan depends on spending more time outside the home. We are sad to not reopen. We would normally be open two days in November and December - including days immediately after Thanksgiving and Christmas when the home is very crowded - it's only 805 square feet. Our focus must be on the safety of our volunteers and guests. Rest assured that we will reopen as soon as we can and will do so as safely as possible.

Revised 5/15/2020, 6/12/2020, 7/15/2020, 8/6/2020 and 9/15/2020

The Burnham Block Tours Suspended through at least September 30th, 2020

August 6th, 2020 - by Mike Lilek

Our key Museum Operations leadership has decided to extend our tour program suspension through at least September 30th, 2020. We continue to monitor external and internal factors. Our focus is on the safety of our volunteers and guests. We are hope to open soon. We are changing our tours to integrate social distancing and taking steps to ensure the safety of our guests and volunteers. We will use the weeks ahead to train our volunteers. Again, we will do our best to make sure our guests are safe and will continue to have a great experience.

Revised 5/15/2020, 6/12/2020, 7/15/2020 and 8/6/2020

The Burnham Block Tours Suspended through at least August 31st, 2020

July 15th, 2020 - by Mike Lilek

Our key Museum Operations leadership has decided to extend our tour program suspension through at least August 31st, 2020. The decision was made based after considering many external and internal factors. Our focus is on the safety of our volunteers and guests. We are hope to open soon. We are changing our tours to integrate social distancing and taking steps to ensure the safety of our guests and volunteers. We will use the weeks ahead to train our volunteers. Again, we will do our best to make sure our guests are safe and will continue to have a great experience.

Revised 5/15/2020, 6/12/2020 and 7/15/2020

The Burnham Block and COVID-19

April 14th, 2020 - by Mike Lilek

Tours were suspended on the Burnham Block in mid-March 2020. Our individual tour reservations were dramatically down by March. Group tours were looking normal – but most cancelled by the end of March. We miss greeting guests from around the United States and the world. We especially miss school groups like Wakanda Elementary School. At our March Board of Directors meeting, I briefed our Board on our operating costs and potential lost tour receipts. After consideration, our Board felt we should hold back on urgent fundraising appeals connected to COVID-19 in light of the enourmos needs in our community. We have adjusted our spending and will delay and defer what we can. We are fortunate to have so many dedicated volunteers to welcome our guests, manage museum operations and manage restoration projects. The Burnham Block is entirely staffed by volunteers. Not having to meet payroll makes a big difference right now. Regardless, the pandemic will seriously impair and delay important work on the Burnham Block. I ask that you consider becoming a Friend of the Burnham Block or make an additional donation in 2020.

Volunteer Spotlight

Nicole Atkinson

Nicole Atkinson has been a furniture engineer, furniture builder, and millwork project manager for 34 years. Fortunately, for the Burnham Block, she responded to a Facebook post to recruit new volunteers in 2013. During her training to become a new docent, it became known to the Burnham Block staff that Nicole had just the right talent and experience to create much needed replicas of Frank Lloyd Wright-designed furnishings.

Nicole started her career as a product engineer at the Buckstaff Company in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, which manufactured solid wood institutional furniture. While there, she started building furniture with the help of the skilled craftsman in the shop. Eventually, Nicole worked for Techline/Marshall Erdman and Associates where she developed an interest in Mr. Wright’s work, especially his furniture designs. Prior to launching his furniture company, Erdman owned the construction company that built Mr. Wright’s First Unitarian Society Meeting House in Madison in 1951 and several other Madison-area, Wright-designed homes.

Nicole has worked for other millwork companies like The Carlson Company, a manufacturer of fixtures for high-end retailers like Louis Vuitton and Barney’s, and Wisconsin Built, maker of restaurant fixtures for Starbucks and Noodles.

Nicole attended 13 semesters of woodworking at Madison College and has been designing and building furniture in her own shop for over 30 years. In her spare time, she runs a cabinet re-facing business, has remodeled over 75 kitchens, and flipped eight homes by remodeling the kitchen cabinets and updating millwork.