Idabel, OK (July 27, 2018)—The Museum was closed for the past two weeks, allowing contractors to work on its new roof and air conditioning systems. Brian Hendershot, Head of Communications and Outreach, stated that the recent heatwave prevented them from completing time-sensitive parts of the project. As a result, the closure has been extended one week, to August 6. Hendershot said, “we must remain closed in order to protect collections”. He also noted that empty, unairconditioned gallery wouldn’t be a “pleasant experience” for most. The closing will not affect the Museum’s upcoming basketry workshop on August 11. More information about the workshop is available at https://www.museumoftheredriver.org/beer-and-basketry-workshop/.
Once construction is complete, Museum will cover 45,500 square feet. Some of its new spaces have already opened, including several galleries. Other areas are expected to open in the coming months. Moreover, despite construction, interest in the Museum remains high. Head of Programs Christina Eastep noted that, “more people are attending our programs than ever before”. In fact, the Museum’s had a record number of Dino Camp attendees for the second year in a row. Interest is expected to increase once the project is complete.
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