Arizona Heritage Center Shutters Temporarily for Major Repairs After Flood Damage
After suffering extensive damage from recent storms, the Arizona Heritage Center museum in Tempe is set to close temporarily for necessary repairs. The closure, beginning on November 10, will address the significant impact of flooding on the facility.
The Arizona Historical Society projects that the cost to restore and enhance the museum will surpass $2 million. Executive Director David Breeckner expressed optimism about the upcoming renovations, stating, “I’m optimistic that the repairs we’re looking at here will address long standing issues, turning it from a difficult reality into an opportunity to actually improve the facility, not just repair it.”
Among the primary concerns are the museum’s air conditioning and audio-visual systems, both of which suffered damage due to the flooding. Breeckner highlighted that these repairs would be accompanied by updates to the exhibits, which will necessitate a complete dismantling of current galleries. He noted, “What we’re gonna have to do is actually dismantle those exhibition galleries entirely in order for the work crews to gain access, and then afterwards we’ll have the opportunity to rebuild them with new and refreshed content.”
The flooding issues were exacerbated by an attempted break-in and vandalism in August, which damaged the center’s pump system. This incident contributed significantly to the subsequent flooding challenges faced by the facility.
The museum anticipates reopening to the public in early January, following the completion of repair and renovation efforts.
