Reston Museum auctions memorabilia
By Claire Compton
The Reston Museum will be hosting its second auction this week, but it may have to wait two years until its next one, as the Reston Historic Trust, which runs the museum, is planning a renovation of the space.
In October, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted to allocate $110,000 to the historic trust for a renovation.
The 11-year-old museum is currently located in a 40-year-old storefront on Lake Anne Plaza that used to house a small county library.
Reston Historic Trust Chair Lynn Lillienthal said the remodeling will make better use of the space and bring with it a new exhibit that she said will be a surprise.
“I can't tell you what it is but it will be innovative and exciting,” she said.
The renovation will likely take place in the “slow season” after the holidays next year, Lillienthal said.
“I really don't think the space has had any renovation since it was a library,” she said.
Proceeds from this year's auction will benefit that effort. Last year's raised $1,800, a sum Lillienthal hopes will be beat this year.
“You have to start somewhere but we hope we'll raise some more,” she said.
The auction, to be held Thursday, Feb. 28, will have a silent portion from 5:30-6:30 p.m. followed by a live auction. Phil Tobey will be the auctioneer.
Items for both auctions consist of donated Reston memorabilia and items that aren't necessarily a good fit for the museum.
“We have a lot of other things people would enjoy but are not really appropriate for us to keep; either we have duplicates or they're not relevant to the history,” she said.
Lillienthal said one of the more interesting items is an abstract ink drawing by Jim Rosant, one of the original architects of Lake Anne Plaza. The drawing was donated by Bob and Cheryl Simon.
Another is an out-of-print book by Tom Grubisich titled "Reston: The First Twenty Years." Grubisich is a writer and former longtime resident of Reston.
The auction will also include artwork by Reston artists or art that depicts Reston scenes. Lillienthal said there are several photographic prints of Reston before it was developed.
Admission is free and open to the public.