JULY 2019 • LONGISLANDPRESS.COM 29
As the Queens Museum
approaches its 50th
anniversary in 2022, it
remains one of the top
cultural destinations in
New York’s most diverse
borough. The Museum’s
must-visit status has been
even further cemented
by a recent $70 million
transformation.
Despite being located
wi thin the hi s tori c
New York World’s Fair
grounds at Flushing Meadows Corona
Park, the Queens Museum now boasts a
contemporary interior space featuring airy
galleries and a glass staircase. It’s currently
featuring several exhibitions. But the
famous Panorama of the City of New
York remains the jewel in the crown of the
Museum’s collection.
We recently interviewed Debra Wimpfheimer,
the Museum’s COO, about the Museum’s
mission, its main challenge and more.
Q: What would you say makes the Queens
Museum so special and worth visiting,
whether you’re from Queens or elsewhere?
A: The Queens Museum is a warm and
welcoming place, which has championed
emerging artists from all over the world. We
are located in a beautiful public park and
in a uniquely diverse borough, which we
serve through our education, community
engagement and exhibition programs.
Spotlight Long Island
Queens Museum COO on its mission,
biggest challenge, and more
Q: What would you say is
the mission of the Queens
Museum?
A: We strive to present and
offer the highest quality
visual arts and educational
programming for people in
the New York metropolitan
area, and particularly for
the residents of Queens, a
uniquely diverse, ethnic,
cultural and international
community. The Museum
fulfills its mission by
designing and providing art exhibitions,
public programs, and educational experiences
that promote the appreciation and enjoyment
of art, support the creative efforts of artists,
and enhance the quality of life through
interpreting, collecting, and exhibiting art,
architecture and design.
Q: How does the Queens Museum use
technology to accomplish that mission?
A: We have a robust social media presence and
strive to be engaging and informative. We also
have been working to make our public programs
more accessible using Communication Access
Realtime Translation (CART), a service in
which a certified CART provider listens to
speech and instantaneously translates all the
speech to text. Additionally, in the past, to make
our events accessible to non-English speakers,
we have transcribed text using Google Translate.
Q: How long have you been with the
Queens Museum and what attracted you
to the job?
A: Seventeen years. I was attracted to the great
potential of the Queens Museum and still am
today. As the world and our borough changes,
I feel that places like the Queens Museum are
important in people’s lives, as they provide
places to share various perspectives.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: My hard-working and committed
colleagues!
Q: How long have you been doing this kind
of work?
A: My entire professional career – about 25
years.
Q: What is the biggest challenge of your
job and why?
A: As with all nonprofits, we have to use
our scarce resources creatively, which is an
interesting challenge.
Q: What new programs are you offering at
the Museum?
A: Our public programs series continues into
July and ends in August, and features panels,
talks, screenings and workshops for all ages.
We have new programs starting in October.
Custom Computer Specialists is proud
to sponsor Spotlight LI. Since 1979,
Custom has been dedicated to providing
Long Island’s schools, local government
agencies, healthcare facilities and
businesses with advanced technology
solutions and support. To learn more about
Custom Computer, or to be considered
for a future Spotlight LI, please email
info@customtech.com.
Custom Computer Specialists
Right People. Right Results.®
Debra Wimpfheimer, COO,
Queens Museum
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