Heritage Center Expansion | Video

Jennifer Joas | 7/31/2012

The North Dakota Heritage Center showcases the state`s history. There are many more items that the State Historical Society wants to put on display, but there just isn`t enough room. That is why the Heritage Center is undergoing a major expansion project that, when completed, will double the size of the building.

Construction crews are hard at work building a 97,000 square foot expansion for the North Dakota Heritage Center.

"This is a wonderful project. It is kind of a once in a lifetime opportunity for the Historical Society and for the state of North Dakota," said Claudia Berg, State Historical Society Expansion Coordinator.

Berg says the original Heritage Center was built with the intention of expanding. As collection space dwindled, the need for more room became obvious. So crews began the $52 million project in March of 2011, and as time goes by, the Historical Society`s vision is taking shape.

"The opportunities we have with our exhibit galleries are going to be phenomenal. We are going to have more of the collections out on the exhibit; there is going to be a lot more programming space. It is really going to be a feather in the cap for the people of North Dakota to showcase their history," said Berg.

The project is about 50 percent complete, and crews expect to finish construction next spring. Then the Historical Society will be moving in galleries and opening more and more exhibits all leading up to the 125th anniversary of statehood in November of 2014.

In addition to building the expansion, construction crews are also renovating parts of the Heritage Center, including the Russel Reid Auditorium.

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