WATSON 鈥� The Watson and District Heritage Museum is undergoing a transformation in both its design and how it displays artifacts.
鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to evolve into a rotating display system plus bringing in exhibits on loan,鈥� said Judy Schmidt, chair of the museum board.
Schmidt said having permanent displays resulted in locals not feeling it necessary to come back. The new system will allow people to see something new each time they visit the museum.
鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to rejuvenate the publicity of the museum to bring the public back into it,鈥� Schmidt said.
These new rotating displays are planned to be done along local themes such as sports teams and clubs, veterans, merchants, agriculture, cultural and religious diversity, as well as community development.
Other changes planned for the museum include restoring the original wood floor, repairing and painting the wallpapering, improving lighting and remodeling the displays.
The museum volunteers will also be researching and writing stories related to certain items, displays and special events.
鈥淎s you view the murals and the artifacts, you get a little bit of the history, something that鈥檚 learnable to inform you what that鈥檚 about.鈥�
The planned completion date for everything is April 2020.
鈥淲e want to open the museum in May to September, and then open on certain specified weekends whether it鈥檚 Remembrance Day or Christmas to have the museum easily accessible throughout the year.鈥�
Recently, the museum began to begin the work on dismantling the main floor.
鈥淭he board, we thought we need more help with this, so just in the last week or two we had a come and go event,鈥� Schmidt said.聽 鈥淲e were doing a volunteer drive calling it, 鈥楩riends of the Museum鈥� hoping we could accumulate a few more volunteers to help us with the whole project.鈥�
She said the drive was successful, with about 20 to 25 community volunteers stepping up.
鈥淲e would ask that anybody that鈥檚 interested in helping through volunteerism or funding would be greatly appreciated.鈥�
