Posted: Wednesday, March 5, 2014 6:45 am

LAUREN BERG lberg@newsvirginian.com

City officials see the proposed Natural History Museum as a positive step for Waynesboro, promising to be active participants in discussions on the subject. On Saturday, the Virginia Museum of Natural History’s board of directors voted 10-2 in favor of moving forward with the idea and developing a master plan for the proposed facility.
City Councilman Mike Harris said it’s just getting started, but “it’s a very exciting prospect for the city and it would be a bonus for the tourism industry.”
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Greg Hitchin, economic development director for Waynesboro, said the city is working closely with the museum on the project and will be an active participant in the discussions. Museum officials estimated it could be about two years before any groundbreaking ceremonies take place, but Harris said the museum could “possibly open in a year or year and a half if we use an existing location.”
According to a study done by the Richmond based firm Chumura, the museum is estimated to bring in $1.35 million every year and bring an additional 65,582 people from eleven cities, including Waynesboro, Staunton, Harrisonburg, Buena Vista and Charlottesville, as well as the counties of Augusta, Albemarle and Nelson.
“ The museum in Martinsville has pieces in storage that they cannot display, so those items could be brought here,” Harris said. “Both UVA and Virginia Tech have expressed interest and have said they will be involved if this goes through.”
Along with displaying artifacts, the museum will also be used as a scientific research center. Students from nearby schools, like UVA and Virginia Tech, could use the facility to study fossils, bones, and other natural artifacts.
“The museum would be a piece of the puzzle for bringing more educational attractions to Waynesboro,” Harris said.
For more information about the Virginia Museum of Natural History, visit vmnh.net .