The following excerpt is from the November 28, 2011 edition of the Alaska Journal of Commerce:
JUNEAU — The Alaska State Museum has been an institution in Juneau for decades, but it’s one that the city and its hundreds of thousands of visitors may have to learn to live without for up to two years.
The new state Library, Archives and Museum project now underway will be built on the Willoughby Avenue site of the current museum building.
That means if project advocates, including history buffs around the state and members of the Juneau legislative delegation, are successful in getting approval of remaining funding from the Parnell administration and the Alaska Legislature, the museum could “go dark” for up to a couple of years, said Linda Thibodeau, director of the Division of Libraries, Archives and Museums.
The construction plans are still being drafted and a timeline has yet to be finalized, but a closure time of about 20 months is expected. However, when that 20 month period would start is not clear.
Among the questions yet to be answered is “how many tourist seasons we want to miss,” said Bob Banghart, museum curator.
The museum staff wants to minimize impact to the public, but also has to ensure the builder is able to complete the building as efficiently as possible.
Two other functions that will eventually find a new home in the new building won’t be affected by the construction. The state Library and the State Archives are both located elsewhere, and their operations won’t have to change due to the construction, Banghart said.
In fact, much of what the museum does is done elsewhere, including traveling exhibits, and most Alaskans outside Juneau won’t even notice the construction issues, Banghart said.
In Juneau, the closure of the museum isn’t scheduled to begin for 14 months after full construction starts.
