Page 29 - B2B Fall19

FUTURE GROWTH NOW POSSIBLE
The Montana Historical Society, established in 1865, is excited for the prospect of moving forward with construction and funding plans for the new Montana Historical Society’s Heritage Center. The new building will increase space by about 66,000 square feet - opening opportunities for the MHS to display some “hidden” Montana history and create more education opportunities for kids and visitors in the Helena area.
“It is very exciting to have the Montana Museum Act (Senate Bill 338) passed this past legislative session so we can showcase more of Montana’s History”, said Montana Historical Society Director Bruce Whittenberg, “This will not only help the community but will put Helena more on the “map” when it comes to tourism.”
Bruce hopes that the new
Heritage Center will not just be
a place to view history that has been hidden from the public
eye in the past but to have it as a learning experience for all ages by integrating technology in each of the galleries. He also hopes that it can be a place not just for new educational programs but an area for the community to meet for performances, lectures, and gatherings.
“The possibilities are endless to what we can do with the new space,” said Whittenberg.
After the Senate Bill 338 was passed the Department of Admin- istration organized project com- mittees and started to brainstorm on the new space needs for the new building. By Fall 2019 the committees developed different concepts for several sites and have been reviewing and analyzing each
location. They hope to con- firm a site by late this fall for a space that will work best for the new building.
“We have
presented
a report of
potential
sites and
have received
feedback
through the website this fall. It has been narrowed down to five sites,” said Whittenberg.
The final recommendation for the site of the new historical museum
is presented to the Director of the Department of Administration
John Lewis who will make the final selection of the site. ■
Bruce Whittenberg
FALL 2019 | 29