DOOR COUNTY (NBC 26) — To many visitors, the Door County Historical Museum is a haven of peninsula history, with exhibits throughout the building's main floors. But the museum's basement has little space for its archives, which are run by manager Joe Taylor.
"We're busting out of the seams right now," Taylor said. "We literally have no more room to take anything in."
"This is the history of Door County right here," Taylor added while standing next to some basement archives.
That will change soon.
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Last month, the Door County Board voted 19-1 to spend $3.3 million to renovate the former Younkers building, and make ADA improvements to the museum, including its entrance. That's less money than the original plans, which proposed an $8 million project to tear down the property and rebuild.
"It's really going to happen now," said Taylor, who noted that museum expansion plans have been discussed since the 2010's. "We're really excited."
As we previously reported in January, $1.7 million would be used on the rear portion, which will be used for the museum and its archives.
"We can build exhibits and store the collection," Taylor said on how the new space will help celebrate Door County's culture. "(We may) even do some programming with schools."
$800,000 would go towards the building's front portion, which will be partially remodeled into retail space for two leasing tenants.
Marcia Kritzer-Egeland worked in the old Younkers Building as a sales associate in the 1990's. She is excited for how the renovations will help the museum and local businesses.
"I think it will be very interesting to see how the building has changed and to find out what kind of stores are going to be in here."
Renovations on the Younkers Building will begin on Aug. 24, pending state and local permits.
