PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Museum's $12.1 million renovation project is on track for reopening the museum next summer. 

 

The major renovation of the 1903 structure will include a new lobby, gift shop, family activity center, lecture hall, conference room, and reimagined first-floor galleries showcasing art, natural history, and historical objects. 

 

One of the biggest attractions will be the aquarium, which will be double the size and replace the old theater.

 

"We're going to have a whole group of new exhibits and exhibitions. Our aquarium, which is in the basement currently, is being moved up to where the old theater is. So it's going to be our marquee addition to the museum," said Shane Frasier, director of marketing and communications. "It's going to be great. It's going to be a really nice draw for people of all ages in the Berkshires and beyond."

 

The new aquarium will have room for new species and a lighted walkway through the space. The work is being done by StudioHau. 

 

"We had the person who designed that come a couple months ago, we got to see what a couple of the tiles would look like," Frasier said. "So there's a blue light underneath it, but that light can change color, so it's going to be this, really immersive vibrant experience when people go in there."

 

Frasier said Wednesday was a great day as the renovations could really be seen taking shape. 

 

"We came in and it was the first time where it was like, Okay, this is real, because before, everyone's been having construction. Now the halls you can see the frames of everything. Now you can see how everything is going to look like. So, today was really exciting," he said.

 

The project began last January; to keep a presence in the community during the renovations, the museum has been deploying its Mobile Museum Units (MoMU). It's most recent use was at the city's Festive Frolic events over the weekend. 

 

"Our educators have been out in the community with their MoMU programs," Frasier said. "We had Fall Fest back in October. We had it Herman Melville's Arrowhead, but we collaborated with the Berkshire County Historical Society on that program. So, we've been out there staying relevant, and helping the community have some fun."

 

Collaboration with other institutions has also aided the museum in keeping its annual programs running.

 

The museum's popular Festival of Trees is being hosted at Hancock Shaker Village this year and the annual "Ten Days of Play" for children during the last February's winter break was held at Berkshire Community College.

 

The museum has been closed to the public since last Jan. 6 and Frasier said officials are excited to welcome people back through the doors to experience new exhibits and see how the renovations changed the space for the better.

 

"It's going to be a familiar but new experience. There's going to be old favorites like the diorama room, where people are going to see kind of a fresh spin on that experience that people have loved for years," he said. 

 

"The aquarium is going to be really the biggest, it's going to be the big marquee attraction. So people are going to love that. And then they're going to love the new exhibitions like 'Cabinets of Curiosities' immersed in nature. So there's going to be a lot for everyone of all ages. And I really cannot wait for people to explore the space."