The Mill City Times Interview: Patty Wilder, Interim Executive Director, James J. Fiorentino Foundation and Museum

Article by Becky Fillinger

The North Loop will soon have another reason to pull us in – the James Fiorentino collection of cuckoo clocks! The museum will reopen this summer at 126 N 1st Street. Patty Wilder, Interim Executive Director, tells us the history of the location and what we unique treasures we’ll see at the museum.

Patty WilderQ:  Please tell us about Jim Fiorentino, the collector of the clocks.   

A:  The building was constructed in 1948, originally intended to store aluminum. Ten years later, in 1958, Jim and his brothers started a garage door company, Custom Door Sales, Inc., out of the building. Originally Jim set up a “museum” of sorts in his basement. The collection continued to grow.  Jim retired in 1990 and the garage door business was sold to a nephew at which time he moved the collection to the current location for more space to exhibit the clocks and other items.  

Jim first became interested in clocks when his father had one that needed repair and he helped to fix it. Over time, Jim collected clocks from auctions, estate sales, and other places, never leaving the Midwest. The more the clock needed work, the happier Jim was, as he loved to make them whole again. His real love was the carved wooden aspect of these clocks, so he stopped worrying about whether they all told time or not and brought them back to their original beauty.  

Jim’s parents were from Italy and Jim loved all things Italian, though he collected many German clocks, beer steins, rocks, musical instruments, and other assorted curiosities.

Q:  Growing up, we had a German cuckoo clock at home. I was spellbound by the time-keeping mechanisms of the clock and the cuckoo which sounded the hour. Will your museum tell visitors about the history of German clocks?

A:  Yes! There will be individual, self-guided, and docent-led group tours, exhibits explaining the history and context of the objects, plans to offer classes on the history of German and other clocks, and more!

Specifically, the German Black Forest cuckoo clocks demonstrate how farmers learned to carve wooden clock pieces, then cooperatively assembled and sold them to feed their families in the winter. It is a great display of skill, collaboration, and community problem-solving. Visitors can see examples of how clocks were made with different approaches over time, from featuring dead animals to live ones, the development of distinct styles, imaginative aspects of nature, and more. They can learn about the history of clock making, different types of clocks, how clocks work, and the way individual countries made clocks in particular ways. In addition, the collection extends to the historic aspects of making music with instruments and players on display, carved wood from various countries, carved rocks, and other unique items.

Q:  Why this location for the museum? 

A:  The location for the museum relates to the origins of the family business. What was once a warehouse district of Minneapolis is now an upscale area with a lot of walk-by traffic, young families with children, and people enjoying local restaurants and amenities, making this an ideal location for people to visit and enjoy.  Jim started sharing his collection, in the 1990s with the public. The collection, one of the largest in the United States, has more than 700 clocks, with about half being cuckoo clocks. In 2007, the museum was incorporated as a nonprofit organization and has been operating in that manner since then. The building has been closed over the past year due to renovations, though COVID has also affected the operation of many other museums. 

Gian Paz, Collections and Volunteer Coordinator, gives us a preview of what we'll see and hear at the museum.

Q:  When will the museum open? 

A:  Our plans are to re-open this summer. Want to help us? We will be looking for volunteers to serve as docents, exhibit specialists, cataloguing assistance, gift store and receptionist help and more too. 

Q:  Will you have space for special events?

A:  We hope to have space available for some events. We also wish to engage with local organizations of clock collectors such as the Oscar T. Lang Association and groups interested in musical items, as well as the local community.

Q:  How may we follow your news?

A:  The best way to stay updated is to watch our website, or email jjffmuseum@gmail.com with questions.