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Renovations to the Greensboro Historical Museum are under way, and museum officials and visitors hope the changes will show a wider and deeper history of the city - in a more modern environment.

Workers have started replacing the roof on the historic First Presbyterian Church building, at 130 Summit Ave., which has housed the museum since 1964.

Museum Executive Director Fred Goss said the next step will be replacing the wood trim and gutters. Interior work, which includes exhibit renovation, is in the design stages; work is expected to begin early next year.

Goss said the new exhibits, which will allow for the display of more artifacts, will reflect a wider range of historical experiences.

"(The exhibits) will make it a different rendering of the history of Greensboro, where people coming from all walks of life will see themselves in the exhibits."

They also will have audio, video and interactive elements.
The work is being paid for by a $5.3 million municipal bond approved by voters in 2006. The museum's non-profit arm also is raising funds for the exhibits and artifact preservation.

Carolyn Malone, an education assistant at the museum for almost 10 years, said she's glad the funds came through to update both the building and the exhibits.

"(The museum) does house a wonderful collection that needs appropriate levels of humidity and care," she said.

Because of the current work, two galleries are closed, including the Hall of Transportation.

But Goss said some of the items, such as two of four historic cars, have been moved to other parts of the building that are still open. Once interior work begins, roughly half the museum will be closed to the public

The entire spruced-up museum is scheduled to reopen to the public mid-2010, Goss said.

The renovations are welcome news to Steve and Kathy Carr of Savannah, Ga., who were visiting the museum Thursday afternoon. Kathy Carr used to work for the museum and both had visited before.

They said too many people are unaware of the history of their city, and getting residents interested is a challenge for any museum.

"You have to draw people in. You have to make it more exciting," Kathy Carr said in reference to the interactivity the new exhibits will have. "Some of the exhibit rooms haven't been redone in decades."

Steve Carr said that, without updates, there's little reason for repeat visits.

Renovating the exhibits could reinvigorate the museum's core visitors.

"From my standpoint, I think anything they can do to represent the history of the city better is good."

Contact Kavita Pillai at 373-7157 or kavita.pillai@news-record.com