Organizers Envision Innovative Wheeling Museum
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WHEELING -- Community leaders want the proposed Wheeling history museum to be entertaining, engaging and innovative.
Wheeling Heritage held its first visioning session for the project Friday at the Wheeling Artisan Center.
About 35 community members participated in the discussion at the invitation of Wheeling Heritage.
Attendees included representatives of Wheeling Heritage, the Wheeling 250 Committee, Friends of Wheeling, Oglebay Institute, Oglebay Foundation, West Virginia Independence Hall Foundation, Ohio County Public Library, area universities and other museums and organizations.
Jake Dougherty, executive director of Wheeling Heritage, said the museum is envisioned as a "hub entrance to Wheeling," introducing the city's heritage and encouraging people to visit other local museums for in-depth understanding of the community's history.
"We want it to be entertaining, engaging and innovative … as forward-thinking and creative as we can be," he said.
Travis Henline, museum project manager, said, "I'm very excited about this project."
Noting that the idea and concept of a Wheeling museum "has been around for decades," Henline said the current push came from a Wheeling 250 Committee conversation about developing "a legacy project" as part of this year's observance of the city's 250th anniversary.
"We want a broader approach," the project manager said. "Wheeling has more than earned its place in history."
With the project now in the concept phase, Henline cited a guiding principle: "We want to connect, in a tangible way, the past with the present, and how it will shape the future."
Wheeling Heritage has launched a survey to seek public input on the meaning of the city's heritage and to address how "we connect and tell stories that have not been shared in the community," Dougherty said. "We will tell new stories from new people that have been overlooked in the past."
Regarding the timetable, Dougherty said, "We're looking at a two-year planning phase. This is going to be a long process -- a patient and persistent endeavor."
In many settings, "the traditional museum is not doing so well," Henline said. Therefore, he added, "We want this to be as innovative, updated and creative as possible."
When asked to identify characteristics envisioned for a Wheeling heritage center, participants said the facility should be interactive, relevant, creative, multicultural, ever-changing, memorable, notable, accessible, inspiring, inclusive, experiential, interpretive, adaptive, collaborative and provocative.
In response to a suggestion that the museum be situated in a high-traffic location, Henline said, "We know we want this to be downtown. Where, we don't know yet."
Dougherty added, "We are diligently looking at properties now."
Wheeling Mayor Glenn Elliott said, "Whether an old building or new construction, it should be one that is part of the ongoing revitalization of downtown Wheeling."
Regarding spaces needed for programming, participants suggested the complex include a gallery, assembly room, adaptable space, immersive and interactive area, craft room, dedicated children's space, storage and work space, gift shop, bar, dining area and outdoor component.