Work on museum expansion to begin next spring

By Matthew Elder

The Lac Brome Museum’s expansion plan is underway, with contractors being lined up for a two-storey, 6,000-square-foot expansion adjacent to the main Centennial Building. The project was approved this fall by the Town of Brome Lake, and work is expected to begin next spring with completion in early 2027.

More Space for Exhibits and Community Use

The expansion will significantly increase the museum’s space for both temporary and permanent exhibitions, as well as the addition of a multi-purpose event hall, conference rooms and a new museology laboratory. Additional permanent exhibition space will be included. The basement is to be allocated for climate-controlled storage of artefacts and archives. This new building will create badly needed additional space beyond what is currently available on the museum campus.

A second phase of the building program will see upgrades and renovations to the museum’s existing, centuries-old buildings, beginning with the Academy/Annex structure, part of which houses the renowned Fokker DVII German biplane. This work is expected to complete within the next five to seven years. Some of the new building’s space will be used to temporarily house artefacts normally on display in buildings that are under renovation.

Fundraising Campaign and Government Support

In the meantime, a $1.5-million fundraising campaign has been launched, chaired by the Brome County Historical Society’s board president Elizabeth Wirth. (A portion of this amount already has been pledged by several donors.) Donations are to cover the balance of the project’s $3.7-million cost, as the federal government has already pledged $2.2 million toward the project through its Green and Inclusive Community Buildings Program.

The new building will meet the grant’s criteria of climate resilience in terms of heating/cooling (elements such as insulation, sun exposure and efficient systems) and design considerations to protect against risks related to climate change (wildfires and flooding).

In terms of inclusivity, 70 percent of the building will be public space and be accessible to all.