The Delaware Museum of Natural History is set for a revamp due to which it will close for construction in early 2021 and reopen in early 2022 as the Delaware Museum of Nature and Science. This the largest redesign since the museum opened for public in 1972.
The museum is known for its huge collection of bird eggs, birds and seashells. The museum went through a $5 million expansion in 2005 to add an educational and exhibit space. The latest renovations are one part of a $9.8 million capital campaign to renovate and re-establish the museum and add more value to the experience.
Since 1972, the museum had Delaware’s only permanent dinosaur display, exhibits of mammals, shells some other ancient specimens from around the world. The redesign will see the museum move away from traditional exhibits to “experiential programmes, innovative exhibits, and 21st-century approaches to nature and science education.”
According to Halsey Spruance, Executive Director of the museum, “The new museum will inspire people to discover, examine and uncover the wonders of science in the natural world”.
Over the past 4 years, the museum has consulted state-of-the-art institutions, held focus groups and collaborated with community partners to create approaches that cater to this new vision to improve science education and nature.
Not only will this upgrade bring an increased focus on science, but it will also equip the museum with an up-to-date fire suppression system. The new museum will also see a Regional Journey Gallery, which will showcase the biodiversity of the area. Also included in the experience is a pre-historic dinosaur gallery.
Executive Director of the museum, Harley Spruance, explained what will happen during the time the museum is closed. “We are planning for closure to begin in January 2021,” said Spruance. “And at this point, we are anticipating being closed for an entire year, but during that year, we will be offering membership opportunities activities as well as educational outreach tours and activities during that time. So we will have a strong presence off-site while we are renovating on site.”
The new-look will highlight the importance of natural resources and biological research. Spruance also said: “There’s a broad array of ecosystems that we have here in the Delaware region, everything from the Piedmont forest in the northern part of the state – New Castle County – all the way through the central part of the state with the bays and the coastal areas and then down to the great Cypress swamp, which is right on the Delaware/Maryland border at the southern end of the state.”
With the passage of time, the museum has reshaped its purpose to focus more on science. “By switching from static, taxonomy-based dioramas to interactive, ecosystem-based areas, the new museum will inspire people to discover, examine, and uncover the wonders of science in the natural world,” said Halsey Spruance.
Five government entities, 15 foundations, 66 individuals and six corporations contributed to 54 per cent of the campaign’s funding goal. The management hopes that the re-launch of the museum in 2022 will bring a renewed interest to natural history in Delaware and across the US.
