Pennsylvania Lumber Museum will begin a renovation project of its visitor centre, which will see an extension of the current visitor centre at the end of this month.
The US$5.4 m (€ 4.1m, £3.5m) project, which is a partnership with the Pennsylvania Lumber Museum Associate, is expected to take 14 months to complete and will see more than 7,000 sq ft (650sq m) being added to the existing 8,700 sq ft (808sq ft) visitor centre.
The museum, located in Galeton, Potter County, showcases the heritage of the state's lumber era when white pine and hemlock were the wealth of the nation.
The additional space will provide expanded exhibit galleries, a state-of-the-art collections storage area and a new disability access entrance.
The renovated visitor centre will house galleries and exhibits, museum offices, meeting space for community groups, visitor amenities, a library and a gift shop.
The new addition, like the original visitor centre constructed in 1972, will feature rough-sawn board and batten hemlock siding, which was used at many lumber camps, and stone cladding.
The project also includes a new fire suppression system and a new roof.
Sustainability is a key element in the renovation, with energy efficient lighting, occupancy sensors, natural day lighting, and a geothermal heating and cooling system all incorporated in the design.
The site is owned and operated by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC), and renovations will be overseen by the Pennsylvania Department of General Services.
The Pennsylvania Lumber Museum is one of 25 historic sites and museums along the Pennsylvania Trails of History administered by PHMC.
