With a $1 million grant from the State of Michigan, the Grand Rapids Public Museum is getting ready to renovate its Community Archives and Research Center. The grant will help with the agency’s $3.75 million revamp to improve public access to its extensive collection of specimens and artifacts, according to WWMT.
Legislators and museum representatives came together Wednesday to commemorate the funding, which forms the basis of the upcoming renovations. The museum will undergo major improvements, including the addition of 5,000 square feet of communal space. Currently, it houses over 250,000 objects, 95% of which are stored in climate-regulated conditions. Dale Robertson, the president and CEO of the museum, stated in a conversation captured by WZZM13 that plans also include learning spaces including classrooms and labs.
Robertson emphasized the value of educating the people of West Michigan about the museum’s collection. “Museums don’t really do that, but we do it,” he said to WZZM11. “There is an implied promise to share them within the spirit of which they were given,” he said, elucidating the museum’s aim. In my opinion—and I believe the community does as well—it is done for the highest good, which is education and inspiration.
In addition to serving as a central location for Kent County and local history records, the renovated facility will improve public and scholarly engagement with the collections, according to WOODTV. The project’s renderings have already been made public, raising hopes for a variety of multipurpose areas. Physical construction is scheduled to start in mid- to late-2025, despite the project’s intricate design being finished. Robertson said, “Now it’s just a matter of beginning to go through the process in working with the owner, the city of Grand Rapids.”
Representative Kristian award and Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks are among the state leaders who have been credited with helping to secure the award. In an announcement that WZZM13 was able to get, Brinks highlighted the importance of these cultural investments by saying, “Cultural and recreational institutions are an integral part of our neighborhoods, creating space for community learning and for growing.” She continued, “So we know that when we invest in projects like these, we are investing in the very future of our city and our community.”
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