In order to preserve the museum as a link between western Washington and its rich military history, the $9.6 million renovation project has been commenced. The 90- year-old building will be undergoing structural repairs.
The museum had an average of 18,000 visitors last year. During the closure, the building will be brought up to seismic and Americans with Disabilities Act code. The upgrades would include installation of new wiring, alarm, fire and air conditioning systems. Plans also include the renewal and replacement of windows and roof. Also, the building’s derelict third floor would be converted into classrooms. Repairs would be made in the flagpole area and vehicle displays outside the museum.
The museum received federal stimulus funds for this project from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The museum’s staff of three civilians and three soldiers have been busy with the pre-renovation work. This includes taking photographs of the museum’s 6,000 artifacts, getting them wrapped in acid-free polyethylene foam and storing them in a climate-controlled vault at an offsite warehouse. About 7,000 cubic feet of books and other archives – a wide array of material including videotapes, posters, maps, newspapers, slides, programs and negatives – would also be safely wrapped and transported. The tanks, rockets and other military hardware parked outside will remain near the museum during its closure.
The Fort Lewis museum first opened in 1919 as the Red Shield Inn, named such because the Salvation Army operated the 150-room hotel for newly-arrived service members and their families. The building was reopened as a museum for the first time in July 1973. It has undergone several renovations since then, but the current project is said to be the largest renovation since it opened.
