Museum Wants to Expand Visitors Center

Strawbery Banke Museum officials say they are seeing records numbers of visitors attend annual events like the Candlelight Stroll and overall attendance is up by more than 8.5 percent.

Such great news is also accompanied by longer than desired lines of people waiting to purchase their tickets to access the museum grounds at the Tyco Visitors Center, which is why Strawbery Banke officials want to expand it.

On Tuesday afternoon, they reviewed their plans with the city's Technical Advisory Committee at City Hall and their proposal to add 1,097 square feet to the existing visitor's center is moving closer to approval.

“The price of that popularity meant some lines at the ticket desk and other exceptions to the standard operating procedures that are usually the hallmark of the way we welcome guests to the museum,” said Lawrence J. Yerdon, President and CEO of Strawbery Banke Museum, in a prepared statement on the museum's website.

According to Strawbery Banke's website, the project entails expanding the Muriel Gurdon Seabury Howells Lecture Hall. Strawbery Banke officials would also relocate the Museum Store to a more visible space on the museum grounds bordering Court Street.

Strawbery Banke officials hope to begin construction on the expansion as soon as possible so it could be ready in time for summer season, which begins on May 1.