The long-planned Museum of Gilding Arts in downtown Pontiac, Illinois, opens to the public for the first time at 9 a.m. Saturday, according to a news release from Pontiac Tourism.
The museum is at 217 N. Mill St. (map here) and will be near four other museums in Pontiac, including the Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum, International Walldog Mural and Sign Art Museum, Pontiac-Oakland Automobile Museum and the Livingston County War Museum. (Incidentally, the Walldog Museum is moving to a new location in town but should reopen in May.)
In case you’re unfamiliar with gilding, the news release explains:
The Society of Gilders is an international organization comprised of artists and artisans who work with gold and silver leaf and leaf made of other metals in architecture and decoration. According to Annie Lemarie, one of the many gilders who have spent the last few weeks creating the displays within the museum, “The Society selected Pontiac as the home for our museum because of the City’s obvious commitment to preserving many aspects of the past. They care about history and since we care about the history of the art and craft of precious metal leafing, it seemed an ideal fit. […] We have objects such as fire truck parts, fine art, mirrors, frames, signs, and architectural pieces that are covered wholly or in part with gold, silver, copper, or aluminum leaf. It is everywhere. Most people don’t notice it, or think it is gold paint. But, once you see the difference (between paint and real gold leaf) you will never forget it.”
Part of the museum includes artifacts and work stations from a gold leaf manufacturer that operated in the United States for more than 100 years. The Society of Gilders now owns the collection – the entire factory – and they have brought a portion of that factory to the museum to show how gold leaf was made back then.
The hours of the museum will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission is free, but the gift shop will offer unique gifts and artwork for sale.
Here are a few photos of the museum when it was being built:
The opening of the Gilding Museum coincides with the Illinois Route 66 Red Carpet Corridor Festival, which covers almost 100 miles of Route 66 in northern Illinois.
(Images of the Gilding Museum courtesy of Robert Roarty)