Longtime AHC collections curator retires

October 27, 2020 – It’s bittersweet that we announce the retirement of our colleague Doug Magedanz from the Architectural Heritage Center this fall. As collections curator for over 13 years at the AHC, Doug has thoughtfully stewarded the unique body of architectural artifacts bequeathed to us by our founders Jerry Bosco and Ben Milligan. Doug has also expertly overseen a collection of historic objects gifted to us over the years by many generous donors. From the smallest bronze doorknob to the largest wooden archway, Doug has managed acquisitions, carried out conservation work, prepared artifacts for exhibits, and directed the physical storage of the collection. Last but not least, Doug has been a caretaker of our largest treasure, the historic 1883 West’s Block building. Through his hard work, Doug has ensured that our bricks-and-mortar home is well maintained and welcoming to all.

 

During his time at the AHC, Doug has catalogued over 10,000 architectural artifacts so that we could understand and appreciate the breadth of our collection. He has been instrumental to our educational mission to share this collection with the public, as was Bosco and Milligan’s intent. Doug has been involved in the production of over two dozen exhibits, each of which revealed the form, craftsmanship, and material of objects in new ways. With Doug’s technical knowledge and hands-on skills, he always found a way to safely and securely install even the most awkwardly-sized artifacts so they could be shared with everyone.

 

This spring, Doug was instrumental in our accomplishment of a long-time goal, the consolidation of our large artifact collection at a single storage site. This more secure, permanent, and expanded space provides for the ongoing care and safe storage of the artifacts, gives staff easier access to the objects, and creates exciting opportunities to share the collections publicly, for example, through visible storage or tours. Thanks to Doug’s efforts, we can look forward to new initiatives that bring the artifacts to a broad community and that demonstrate how these tangible pieces of Portland’s past remain relevant in the 21st century.

 

Retirement gives Doug the chance to work on his projects, including his own significant collections of books and photographs. We wish Doug all the best!