By Heather Graves
Correspondent
GREEN BAY – Following more than a year of renovations, Generations Gallery, one of the core exhibits at the Neville Public Museum, is back open for the public to enjoy.
The gallery, which focuses on the vast history of life in the Green Bay area, shut down last May to undergo nearly $3 million worth of renovations – a project funded by Brown County and the Neville Public Museum Foundation.
“After 37 years, the 8,000-square-foot gallery on the museum’s second floor needed to share Northeastern Wisconsin’s natural, cultural and human history in a more integrated, relevant and memorable way,” said Neville Executive Director Beth Lemke. “The gallery upgrades make the space more imaginative, experiential and participatory and include high-impact graphics, technology and increased accessibility for navigation through the gallery.”
Many of the exhibit’s staple attractions remain, with a few new upgrades and additions.
“Visitors to the Generations Gallery will see the public favorites, such as Stompy the Mastodon and the Ice Harvesting video, in their new environment,” Lemke said.
Along with the well-known favorites, the exhibit includes nearly 250 objects – which Lemke said are all the real thing.
“Brand new displays featuring artifacts and artwork from the permanent collection only seen in collections storage previously,” she said. “The renovation includes all new cases, new graphic labels, new LED lighting and all new technology for media interactives.”
Some exhibit pieces will rotate, which Lemke said will continually offer new experiences for visitors.
“The Generations Gallery features 12 thematic sections and was designed with flexibility in mind to accommodate future changes and additions, ensuring continuous updates and sustainability,” she said.
Checking out the renovated exhibit will be slightly different due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Neville visitors must purchase tickets online to reserve a day and time to visit the museum. Tickets can be purchased online and can be booked within a two-week period.
Members must also reserve free-visit times.
“For your safety and the safety of our staff, the number of visitors will be limited based on the guidelines from the Badger Bounce Back plan recommended by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services,” Lemke said.
The Brown County Board has extended Explorer Wednesdays, welcoming Brown County residents to the museum for free all day on the first Wednesday of the month from now until the end of the year – Sept. 2, Oct. 7, Nov. 4 and Dec. 2.
“In the past, hours for free admission on the first Wednesday of the month were limited to evenings only,” Lemke said. “For the rest of 2020, on the first Wednesday of the month, our residents can enjoy all the exhibit offerings that our Neville Public Museum has to offer free from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.”
For more information on the Neville, visit its website at nevillepublicmuseum.org.