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The Stuhr Museum in Grand Island, Neb., will gain more exhibition space, thanks to a $500,000 gift from the Edgar and Frances Reynolds Foundation.
The money will be used to build an addition to the museum’s Reynolds Center, thus freeing up space in the museum itself.
Construction will take 22 weeks and begin this fall, weather permitting.
“It’s kind of hard to convey how exciting this building is,” said Pam Price, executive director of the Stuhr Museum Foundation. “This kind of opportunity is a big deal for the Stuhr Museum.”
The museum showcases what pioneer life was like in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The living history portion opens in the summer — a railroad town spanning several city blocks, with “townspeople” dressed in historic costumes.
On average, the Stuhr Museum attracts 65,000 to 75,000 visitors a year, said Mike Bockoven, director of marketing and public relations.
“We have quite a bit for hardcore history buffs who are interested in the minutiae of history,’’ Bockoven said.
He described the main exhibit building, where the museum’s foundation offices are situated, as one of the prettiest places in Grand Island. It was designed by renowned architect Edward Durell Stone.
Moving the foundation offices out of that building and into the Reynolds Center will free museum space for permanent exhibits, visitor services and the Prairie Treasure Gift Shop.
The Reynolds Center addition will have new office space, a larger archive cleaning station, a multipurpose room and renovated bathrooms. The building also will have a more visible entrance.
Price said the multipurpose room can be rented and serve as an additional revenue source.
A $250,000 donation from the Reynolds foundation funded the construction of the Reynolds Center in the 1980s.
“We’re so thankful the foundation made a major investment once again,’’ Price said. “There aren’t too many opportunities to have funds like that.”
The Reynolds Center houses research archives and also serves as the Hall County Museum. The archives include family Bibles, genealogy information, newspapers, maps, sheet music and more than 28,000 glass-plate photo negatives.
Price said consolidating administrative functions in the Reynolds Center will allow both the museum and foundation to operate more efficiently.
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