American Precision Museum Association
American Precision Museum . . . Ingenuity in manufacturing technology: Past, Present, Future
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Make people aware of the profound impact of manufacturing on our daily lives. Encourage young people to go into manufacturing careers. Care for our historic resource and collections so we can continue this work.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Exhibits
The museum's exhibits are are open to the public daily 10-5 from May 1st weekend through the end of October. We welcome 6,000 visitors, including adult tours and school groups annually. In the off season, we are open by appointment.
APM x Sparkshop STEM Kits
APM partnered with Sparkshop, a nonprofit from the Chicago area, to create a physical kit and digital lessons for students (and their teachers or parents) in grades 4 - 6.
These cross-disciplinary lessons are all focused on a theme, such as Energy Transfer or Additive and Subtractive Manufacturing, and link history, engineering, language, and more to that theme. These kits bring manufacturing and history to life in creative, exciting and interactive exercises, and are available to museum visitors and their families, schools, or homeschoolers.
Working Machine Shop ("Innovation Station")
Each year since 2007 we have recruited, hired and trained high school student interns to do demonstrations for visitors on historic machines in our education collection, and increasingly, modern machines. Our interns learn workplace readiness skills and experience speaking with the public, working alongside the staff, as well as opportunities to learn more about manufacturing careers.
Visitors enjoy seeing the machines (such as gear shapers, turret lathes, 3D printers, and CNC mills) at work.
Model Engineering Show
The show is held on the first Saturday in October at the museum. Fine craftsman/hobbyists share their tiny creations with the public.
Tinkering After School Program
In this partnership with Windsor Public Library, upper elementary school students visit the museum during our off-season once a week for several sessions focused on a specific STEM topic. Sessions have been held in January and in March, as well as during the summer with the Windsor Recreation Program. Topics have included making circuits and mazes. Skill building has included measuring, planning, hammering nails, and soldering. As students age out, they can get involved in other volunteer activities here, such as helping with Family Maker Days.
Where we work
Awards
Official Site 2001
Save America's Treasures
Grant Award for Historic Preservation 2003
Save America's Treasures
Heritage Site and Collection 1986
American Society of Mechanical Engineers
selected as model project for Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections grant program 2010
National Endowment for the Humanities
External reviews

Photos
Videos
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Our mission (10/2013) is to capture the imaginations of young and old with the spirit of innovation, problem solving and design, through the dynamic story of machines and people which form the foundation and future of manufacturing.
Our goals:
1. Offer programs that inspire young people to design, innovate, and problem-solve.
2. Build communities that foster a strong manufacturing future.
3. Care for and use our collections and historic property to inspire new generations of innovators.
Our museum educates and inspires new generations to design, innovate, and problem-solve. We do this through engaging exhibits and programs that excite individuals to
• experience the history of machine tools at work,
• grasp the impacts of machine tools on society and individuals in America,
• understand the connection between machine tools and the products we rely on,
• witness and become a part of the continuing evolution and exciting future of manufacturing
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Our strategies are to:
Engage and support a capable staff skilled in teamwork
Partner with organizations seeking to accomplish the same goals
Ground our work in research
Test, evaluate and tweak existing programs and create new ones to reach these goals
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
We seek to build our capacity in all areas.
Funding:
Our annual operations budget is supported by generous individual donors, individual members and corporate members, by grants for special projects, by earned income including admissions and museum gift shop sales, as well as by a measured draw from our endowment income (unrestricted funds only).
Staff:
Our full time staff includes an Executive Director and Development Director (Nov. 2015). Part time staff includes a Director of Education, Collections Technician. Part time seasonal staff include a Visitor Services Manager, Visitor Services Assistant, and interns.
Board of Trustees:
Our Board meets quarterly, and its expertise is drawn from manufacturing, historic preservation, education, and community leadership.
Facilities and Collections:
The museum is housed in the 1846 Robbins & Lawrence Armory, a National Historic Landmark. Our collections have been recognized as nationally significant. Because of significance, we have been successful with historic preservation and collections care grants. But there remains much to do.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
In 2017 we adopted a new Transformation Plan, and the beginnings of the museum's first ever Capital Campaign. We have a 6 figure seed gift. In 2017 we launched a successful new education program, the Jr. Machinist Apprentice Program, that we can build on. Specific accomplishments include:
• $29,000 in admission revenue, a 13% increase over last year
• 263 student visitors from schools and camps - an increase of 167% over last year
• Scheduled school and summer camp tours – 7
• Scheduled adult group tours – 10
• The launch of the Junior Machinist Apprentice Program
• $19,244 in museum store sales – up 25.5% over last year
• Best attendance ever at one of our lectures on early Vermont bicycling – 55 people
• New Interactives at Working Machine Shop: Wobbler Motor Assembly & Maze Activity. Estimated Participation: 20% of visitors
• 2 full time employees, 2 part time educators, a part time collections technician and a part time administrative assistant
• 23 Corporate Members, 450 donors and/or members
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
American Precision Museum Association
Board of directorsas of 10/14/2021
Mr. Lee Morris
Bill Lynn
Lee Morris
Martha Langill
Barbara George
Christopher Gray
Greg Jones
Richard Kline
Toni Neary
Larry Schwartz
Hub Yonkers