Chesterfield Mall, Chesterfield, Missouri
Free admission and parking
http://www.heritagechesterfield.org/ and http://wiegandstudios.com/
Not yet open to public.
This sign in the window is the closest thing there is to there being a sign at this museum. And to top it off, the museum is in a somewhat-dying shopping mall, not exactly the first place you would go expecting to find a history and art museum. The Heritage Foundation was formed in 2004 and began the task of finding a place to open a museum that would house the history of the city and area.
For fifty years Don Wiegand had a studio in Chesterfield that was also a museum of his sculpture work and antiques.
When the Heritage Foundation and the CHLPC worked out an arrangement with the mall to create their museum there, Don came on board as curator and was able to open his studio with the museum. Today he works among all of the artifacts making his internationally known sculptures. His personal museum pieces are interspersed with those owned by the Heritage Foundation.
The museum is 5000 square feet. At the front end is a roll-up door. When it is partially rolled up that is a signal that Don is working there and that one can get a tour of the museum/studio.
The museum had their first open house July 29 and hope to eventually have regular hours open to the public.
There are two large window displays facing the mall. The first has Giant casts of the Donor Memorial Monument that Don created for
Mid-America Transplant Services.
These statues also sit in the window.
The second window display is dedicated to August A Busch, Jr. The display includes the mold for the statue that now sits outside Busch Stadium.
Once inside the museum you begin to see the historical displays telling the history of Chesterfield.
We old-timers remember the Gumbo Inn.
This display of artifacts and books is centered on the area before the settlers came.
There are many other displays of artifacts.
Chesterfield was definitely a farming community.
This clock face and works date back to Europe in the late 1700's. It came with an immigrant to Pennsylvania and then a new case was built. It eventually came with the family to this community. It is too tall for the family so they donated it to the museum.
There are many antique pieces than Don has picked up over the years and lent to the collection.
This is an antique cigarette dispenser.
Isn't this unusual?
Something else we all remember!
This wooden base was made and used in the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair.
There were many interesting chairs such as this wheelchair.
And these two dental chairs.
This antique dining set is graced with a vase containing peacock feathers from the peacocks Don once owned.
This beautiful antique desk is another piece that Don owns.
Don has a large collection of musical instruments that is on display in the museum.
He also has a collection of hats with this one being among his favorites.
And of course every museum needs a whale vertebrae!
And there is even a gift shop, well, table, with various books for sale and some free pamphlets.
Towards the back of the museum one begins to see some of Don's sculptures on display.
Ernest Hemingway at work.
Augie Busch's hands.
And then at the very back of the museum one enters Don's studio and immediately is overwhelmed by all to see.
The pictures here are being used to develop sculptures for a commissioned piece on which he is currently working.
He has obviously been working with clay.
There are many models from previously completed pieces. Mark Twain was completed in June 1985 and was unveiled by President Ronald Reagan in the White House Oval Office.
This is Cora. The completed Cora was installed in November 1993 in the Missouri Botanical Garden.
Dr. Brennan was completed in two different metals. The doctor was sculptured as if working on Don's face.
Mary, Mother of the Church, in stainless steel, was presented to Pope John Paul II at the Vatican in February 2001.
Don has done six life-sized sculptures of Bob Hope. This one was commissioned by the USO.
In 1997 Don co-created a Spirit of Hope award to which this display is dedicated.
A model and display of the Donor Memorial Monument.
Another model on display.
Chesterfield Mall has given two large display windows, also on the second floor, to Don to display his work. This one is dedicated to his aerial themed work.
The window used once contained his Charles Lindbergh bust but now displays this one he did of Amelia Earhart.
The other window's subject is the Spirit of Hope award which the USO uses to honor patriotism and service to the troops.
For lunch we went to the side of the mall to an outside road and ate at the EdgeWild Restaurant and Winery.
The restaurant has a patio which was perfect on this hot summery day.
The food was delicious.
This was a combo - House Salad with a Caramel Apple Smoked Turkey Sandwich, complete with brie cheese!
Lettuce Wraps
Chopped Caesar Salad and Forest Mushroom & Brie Soup
Comments: We were so appreciative that we were able to tour this museum not yet open to the public and that Don Wiegand was our tour guide! As museum curator he knew something about everything in the museum.
The highlight to me was visiting his studio. His work is so well-known around the world because he creates such beautiful works of art. It was so AWESOME to see where he creates and learn how he goes about making sculptures. Don was very willing to spend time with us sharing his talent and knowledge.
The museum is a work-in-progress. Although there are a number of interesting artifacts in the museum the foundations are hoping to obtain donations
of artifacts, documents, books, memorabilia and other treasured historical
items from Chesterfield and the surrounding area to increase their collection. There are currently no signs or labels with any of the artifacts. Adding those would be helpful to know more about what is on display.
We really appreciated that Don took the time to give us a tour and show us the museum collections and his wonderful studio.
EdgeWild is wonderful. The food is very good. If you haven't been, you ought to go!
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