History like it’s never been seen before. That’s an apt description of the transformation that’s taken place over the past six months at the corner of Houston and Fifth in downtown Richmond.
A $2 million renovation of the Fort Bend Museum will soon be complete. A ticketed reveal will take place on Thursday, July 15th, with the new museum officially opening to the public on Saturday, July 17th.
Improvements to the original building encompass a complete overhaul of both the exterior and interior. Architecturally, the new museum matches the look of the historic Moore Home next door, with more windows, higher ceilings and covered porches flanking both sides of the building.
Inside is where history itself will be reimagined. The museum’s larger and more flexible exhibit space will feature newly designed exhibits telling the story of Fort Bend County in an all-new way. Virtually every aspect of the interior has been changed or added. Hands-on exhibits encourage interactivity. Colorful graphics and nearly life-sized cutouts of historical figures tell the story of the initial settlers right up to present-day development of new communities. The space itself is more than a third larger than before, allowing for a wider variety of displays representative of the diversity of county residents and what brought them to southeast Texas. An open lobby with natural light and a redesigned gift shop will welcome guests upon entering and set the stage for all that follows.
Another unique aspect of the new museum is a flexible design concept in the middle of the space. There, a series of rotating exhibits can easily be incorporated, allowing for new stories to be added or old ones to be retold in modern-day context. Flexibility also means being able to move these exhibits to the side, opening the space to accommodate seating for presentations, guest lectures and sit-down dinners.
The chance to experience the finished museum will start on July 15th, with a special opening night gala. “A History-Making Night” is the theme and guests purchasing a $75 ticket will be the first to step inside. Each of the “New 300” attendees will be featured on a special placard commemorating the event, and their presence as the new museum’s initial visitors. Then, two days later on Saturday, July 17th, a free “History for All” event opens the doors for a community-wide celebration where food, music and history can come together.
To learn more about the opening weekend events, visit fortbendmuseum.org/grand-reopening.