UPDATE: The driver of the truck has been revealed to be a 16-year-old male. His father contacted Bungalower to say that they are working with the museum and their insurance to cover the damage and that his son will be required to volunteer at the museum as well.
The historic Main Garden gate and archway at Art and History Museums – Maitland (Facebook | Website) was severely damaged in the early morning hours of Sunday, June 14.
The gate, which faced the intersection of Packwood and Central Avenues, was designed by founder Jules Andre Smith in the 1930s, along with the rest of the grounds which served as a hippy artist collective for years. The gate was fabricated in Italy and surrounded by cement relief carvings that are thought to be some of Andre’s earliest works in the medium.
A&H is working closely with the City of Maitland to restore the gate and surrounding walls and is working with the Maitland Police Department on identifying the driver. A person at the institution informed Bungalower that the license plate of the truck that backed into the gate was found amongst the rubble, but a museum spokesperson would not confirm.
The Maitland Art Center is located at 231 W. Packwood Avenue, Maitland [GMap].
