Mural

The 250th mural is on display in the game room at the Bauer Community Center.

 

The mural was originally going to be displayed outdoors at the Millburn Free Public Library and was first shown outdoors at the Bauer Community Center. After a period of time outside, it had already begun to show wear. The Department of Public Works then took the mural into Township care to inspect its condition and determine how it could be safely mounted. That review is now complete and the piece has been installed indoors where it will be safe from the elements.

 

The reason for the change in location is long-term preservation.

 

Apart from the tiles, the mural is built from thin wood. Mounted outdoors it would have been only moderately protected from direct rain and snow, and would still have faced seasonal changes in temperature, humidity, and blown moisture. The wood would have deteriorated and required ongoing maintenance. The tiles, though sealed with polyurethane, would eventually have loosened from the expansion and contraction that comes with our change in seasons. Additionally, the sunlight would have degraded the paint over time.  Indoors, the mural will last far longer and need far less upkeep.

 

The piece is roughly 14 feet by 10.5 feet, which limited the interior walls available to it.

 

Bauer Community Center and Taylor Park are where most of Millburn's community events happen. Rocktoberfest alone will bring several thousand visitors to the park on September 26, and the Center hosts a wide array of community and cultural programs each year, including many coordinated by the organizations that contributed tiles.