NATIONAL PRISONER OF WAR MUSEUM REOPENED
ANDERSONVILLE, GA. - -
February 17, 2007 - - On Saturday, February 17, 2007, the National Prisoner of
War Museum at Andersonville National Historic Site was reopened after being
closed since November 27, 2006. The closure was required due to a major
maintenance project conducted at the Museum. The work included painting all
interior surfaces, replacement of carpet, revisions to the heating and cooling
system and other renovations. The Museum had to be closed for the 79 days of
the project and all exhibits, artifacts, furnishings and books removed to allow
the work to be done. The park staff along with volunteers, Eastern National
employees and National Park Service employees from the Southeast Regional Office
and the Southeast Archeological Center moved out of the Museum and back in after
the contractor was completed. The contractor who completed the project was RCA
Contracting Inc. from Montezuma, Georgia.
During the time that the
Museum was closed, a temporary visitor contact station was used to provide basic
interpretive services to the public. Both of the park’s introductory films, the
Eastern National sales area, some exhibits about Camp Sumter and the popular
audio driving tour were made available for the public. The contact station was
a rented office trailer that was converted by the park Maintenance Staff to a
visitor center. The timing of the closure and the awarding of the contract was
carefully chosen at a time when the park receives its least amount of visitors.
“Thanks to the great work by
our staff, the contractor, our volunteers and partners we are excited to have
the National Prisoner of War Museum back open again” stated Fred Boyles,
Superintendent of Andersonville. “I am pleased once again to be able to share
our wonderful Museum with the public especially now that it has been spruced
up.” The National Prisoner of War Museum was opened in 1998 and is the only
interpretive facility of its kind in the nation.
Please visit
http://www.nps.gov/ande/ for details.