Ambitious renovations will transform the bare University Museum of Natural and Cultural History exhibit hall into a stunning display of Oregon’s history, starting with its geological origins and continuing with the development of native cultures. The exhibit hall is slated to reopen in October.
Members of the University and Eugene communities had a chance to get a peek at what the renovated exhibit hall will look like at Wednesday’s hard hat celebration, which took place at the museum.
Museum Director C. Melvin Aikens said the new exhibit will be “integrated (and) ecologically informed” after the renovation is completed.
“The idea of this is that it will show all of Oregon how different types of native cultures have grown up over the last 15,000 years,” he said.
The 3,500-square-foot exhibit space will include a small theater, a science lab, a space for temporary exhibits and a set of near life-size dioramas representing the different geographic regions in Oregon — the Great Basin, the Columbia Plateau, the coast and the valleys — displaying each region’s distinct native cultural attributes. One of the dioramas, for example, will feature a coastal plank house.
“(Oregon) is a very diversified place to be,” Aikens said. “All of that is represented in our dioramas.”
Rounding out the exhibit will be the museum’s collection of native artifacts, including a 10,000-year-old pair of sandals, which are the oldest shoes ever discovered, Aikens said. The museum also has a collection of ancient and historical native baskets.
The renovation is budgeted for $1 million , but the museum still has $200,000 more to raise. All of the current funding was raised through private donations.
Several people and organizations were consulted for the renovation project, including Native American cultural groups, to ensure the authenticity of the exhibit, Aikens said.
“It’s very easy for your own stereotypes and presuppositions to creep in,” Aikens said. He added that the museum wanted “to tell the story in a way that everyone will be pleased.”
Also new to the museum is the addition of “cultural” to its name.
“We want to reflect the fact that a good deal of what we present is human history,” Aikens said.
Kelly Stewart, publicity specialist for the museum, said the newly renovated museum exhibit hall will be unique in its coverage of all regions in the state.
“There’ll be nothing like it in Oregon,” she said. “It’s going to be exciting to see it all come into fruition in October.”
Linda Yoder, the retail store assistant for the museum, said volunteers are needed to fill a variety of positions including tour guides and museum store associates.
“We’re looking for people that are life-long learners and want to share their knowledge with the visitors,” she said. She added that the museum will provide training for all volunteers.
The museum will host an open house for those interested in volunteering on May 3, from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Bean Complex’s Moore Hall, which is across the street from the museum.