SIERRA VISTA, Ariz. (KGUN) — Sierra Vista’s Henry F. Hauser Museum reopened its doors, after 11 months of renovations.
“It's exciting to be able to see the transformation,” said museum curator Melissa Miller.
A new area for kids and a place for temporary exhibits were added to the space, ensuring there's something for everyone at the museum.
“I was just thrilled with how everything turned out," said Sierra Vista Historical Society President, Marta Messmer. "It's just fantastic.”
The Sierra Vista Historical Society donated $100,000 for the renovations. The museum also received a $60,000 grant to help with the costs of technology. Messmer said they wanted to add technology and an area for kids to draw a younger audience to the museum and make it a space with something for everyone.
"We have a small area, and we wanted to make it the best little museum that it could be,” she said.
New floors, display cases, lighting and exhibits were added to create the new space. The permanent exhibit is in the largest room, and showcases Sierra Vista and Cochise County's history.
"As they're going into our permanent exhibit to see that the story of Sierra Vista, it's just really interconnected," Miller said. "The goal was to make it a calm environment, so that as you're walking around, there's not a lot of distractions; but you can really look at what is there.”
On display, is the first McDonald's drive-thru, items from the original Buena High School and items the Buffalo Soldiers had when they were on Fort Huachuca.
"I wanted to tell more of the story of Sierra Vista," Miller said when talking about the changes. "(I wanted to) tell the story from the beginning, because there's a lot of rich history here in Cochise County.”
And while Sierra Vista isn't the oldest city in the state, Messmer says there's still a lot to know about.
“Sierra Vista is the greatest city in Arizona, so why wouldn't you come to learn its history?” she said.
Messmer knows a lot of the city's history because generations of her family have lived in the area. Her great grandfather came to the region from Mexico in 1903, and her grandfather was a Buffalo Soldier on Fort Huachuca.
"I think it's important that everybody that comes to visit or lives here knows that history,” she said.
Two of her grandfather's bugle horns are on display.
"Just to see that and have them honored in that way is very humbling to me,” Messmer said.
During the renovation, Miller had a space created for temporary displays. She said this is a space where they will change out what items are on display. Up first, are toys from the '80s.
Miller and Messmer want the space to be a place where families can come and hang out, and that's why they made sure there was something for everyone.
The museum is located at 2950 E. Tacoma St, in Sierra Vista, and is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free.
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Alexis Ramanjulu is a reporter in Cochise County for KGUN 9. She began her journalism career reporting for the Herald/Review in Sierra Vista, which she also calls home. Share your story ideas with Alexis by emailing alexis.ramanjulu@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook.
