27 Mar 2019
Over 13,000 years of history to go on display at proposed Montana Heritage Centre
BY Luke Cloherty
A new proposed heritage centre in Montana, US, has received a boost after the state government passed a bill financing the project.
Located in the state capital of Helena, the US$48m (€42.5m, £36.3m) Montana Heritage Centre will be delivered by the Montana Historical Society and include museum exhibits, educational space, an events centre, an outdoor courtyard and an amphitheatre.
Acting as an extension to the Montana Historical Society’s existing building, the plans include a renovation of that building, adding exhibition space to it, plus new gallery space, retail offering and café in the extension.
A promotional video for the project notes that more than 13,000 years of history will be accessible, with artefacts dating that far back on display.
The plans also include landscaping work to the building’s outdoor space, with a terraced amphitheatre installed and special mention of the potential for festivals and outdoor events.
The bill to finance the centre includes a state construction authorisation and a tax increase that will raise between US$8m (€7.1m, £6.1m) and US$10m (€8.7m, £7.6m) for it, which will be added to US$10m raised by the Montana Historical Society from private donations.
Also under the bill is a new historical preservation grant program, administered by the Department of Commerce under which local historical museums, societies or keepers of historical sites can apply for funding.
"Our stories mean a lot to us. We are able to celebrate these great chapters of our past because the Montana Historical Society, since 1865, has collected, shared, and celebrated the extraordinary influences of our forebears—from ancient Native American cultures to the settlers, miners, merchants, and artisans who followed," reads a statement about the new centre on the Montana Historical Society website.
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