The Bundy Museum of History and Art announced a temporary closure beginning after Aug. 22, including the suspension of tours, programs, services and activities until further notice.

The Bundy Museum, which opened in 2004, preserves and offers guided tours of the Harlow E. Bundy house, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The museum also conserves a collection of artifacts of Victorian-era Binghamton and the Bundy family and company history.

The message cited “challenges of a rapidly changing world and the financial struggles we have faced over the years,” as factors for the closure. A comprehensive reorganization and downsizing will occur over the next couple of months to decide if any parts of the museum complex can keep operating, said Eric Eckman, Bundy Museum Director of Operations.

Permanent exhibits include a display of an authentic 1930s barbershop and a history of International Business Machines (IBM), a global technology company that grew from the Bundy Manufacturing Company, which Bundy founded.

“We wish to extend our sincere gratitude to every supporter and visitor to the museum,” museum officials said in a statement shared on their website. “Thank you to all the artists, musicians, and performers that have allowed us to share their talents with the community. Thank you to every staff member, volunteer, and collaborator — your dedication, belief, and love of the Bundy allowed us to grow and accomplish all that we have.”

The museum’s affiliate darkroom and photo lab, Binghamton Photo, will also be closed. Shows and events currently scheduled at the museum’s Annex Theater will continue as planned. The museum’s community radio station, WBDY-LP, plans to remain on air, said station manager Andru Bemis. WBDY-LP will organize a nonprofit with Binghamton Photo and other local media projects to combine resources for financial sponsorship and transparency, Bemis said.

In 2023, the museum lost a major portion of its financial support after the foundation’s founder and primary funding source experienced a significant financial loss. In response, the museum launched a fundraising campaign called Save the Bundy, which “helped significantly for the interim,” Eckman said.

The museum hosted the fundraising event, Bundy Fest, in December that year, which raised about $7,000, with an additional $17,000 raised since the announcement of the funding crisis, according to a press release in December 2023.

The museum also featured local artists and hosted music performances.
“The Bundy holds a special place in my heart as it was my band’s first big gig that we did off the Binghamton campus,” said Rebekah Vitale, a junior double-majoring in psychology and environmental science.

Vitale performed at the museum with her band, PantsOnFire, and three other bands last November.

“This summer my bandmates and I discussed holding another show at the Bundy because our experience there was so amazing,” she continued. “It is one of the only places in Binghamton where students can officially organize their own music events, so now that the Bundy is closing, being able to set up official events may get more difficult.”