STATEMENT OF PAUL HOFFMAN, DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR FISH AND WILDLIFE AND PARKS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITEE ON NATIONAL PARKS AND PUBLIC LANDS, HOUSE COMMITTEE ON RESOURCES, CONCERNING THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE MUSEUM AND VISITOR CENTER PROJECT AT GETTYSBURG NATIONAL MILITARY PARK.
The mission of Gettysburg National Military Park is
to preserve and protect the resources associated with the Battle of Gettysburg
and the Soldiers' National Cemetery, and to provide understanding of the events
that occurred here, within the context of American history.
The park was established on
February 11, 1895, and includes the National Cemetery, and 6,000 acres of
historic farmhouses, barns, fences, orchards, earthworks, roads, wood lots, and
other key features of the battlefield.
Gettysburg is the most visited Civil War site in the
National Park System, and has attracted an average of 1.8 million visitors per
year over the past eight years.
By law and policy, the NPS planning process provides
opportunities for public involvement in the creation of a general management
plan. For Gettysburg NMP, public
involvement in the planning process began in March of 1995 and ended in April
1999. During this four-year period, the
NPS provided the public with opportunities to comment at over 50 public
meetings and open houses and asked for comments in four newsletters. A draft
and final plan was sent to a nationwide mailing list of 3,800 members of the
public.
During the four-year planning process, the NPS
received over 3,700 written comments from the public. Of these, more than 85% of the respondents favored the NPS
proposal to rehabilitate the battlefield landscape to its historic condition
and to form a public-private partnership to provide the NPS and its visitors with
much-needed facilities (11.5% were opposed, and 2.7% were undecided). Many of those who favored the proposal noted
that it offered a way to build new facilities without reliance upon
appropriated funds.
In November 1999 the Northeast Regional Director of
the NPS signed the Record of Decision for the General Management
Plan/Environmental Impact Statement.
This marked the completion of the legal and regulatory requirements for
the NPS planning process and final approval of the GMP for Gettysburg NMP. The approved final plan, containing a new
vision for the entire battlefield, has received widespread support from
historians, historic preservationists, Civil War enthusiasts and the general
public.
In light of concerns raised by this Committee and
others, regarding the change in cost and size of the project, the
National Park Service is willing to review the 1999 General Management Plan for
Gettysburg NMP.
Since the last hearing held by this committee on this matter, the National Park Service has taken a number of steps to implement the General Management Plan for Gettysburg.
The Borough of
Gettysburg Interpretive Plan – Concurrent with the approval of the park's GMP,
the NPS funded the development of an Interpretive Plan for the Borough of
Gettysburg. This plan, developed in
cooperation with the Borough of Gettysburg, the Chamber of Commerce, Gettysburg
College and six other local organizations, was approved in November 2000. The purpose of the plan is to
Help those who visit
Gettysburg appreciate its history by telling the story of its people, of their
lives during the Civil War, and of their role in the Battle's aftermath and
commemoration. In doing so, the plan
will help preserve the Borough's historic buildings and sites and bolster the
economic health of the town. (Borough of Gettysburg Interpretive Plan,
p. 2)
In November, 2001, seven local organizations and
institutions joined with the NPS and the Borough of Gettysburg in a Memorandum
of Agreement for the implementation of this Interpretive Plan. To date, our progress includes:
·
the
Borough's purchase of the Wills House - where President Lincoln spent the night
before delivering the Gettysburg Address - with grant assistance from the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania provided by former Governor Ridge;
·
inclusion
of the Wills House in the NPS boundary through Public Law 106-290;
·
preparation
of an historic structure report and preliminary design for the Wills House,
with funding provided by the NPS, for rehabilitation as a Lincoln Museum;
·
acquisition
of the Lincoln Train Station - where Lincoln arrived in Gettysburg - by the
Borough of Gettysburg;
·
preparation
of an historic structure report and design documents for the rehabilitation of
the Lincoln Train Station as a downtown information and orientation center;
·
completion
of a Phase I Alternate Transportation Study, using NPS TEA-21 funds, for a
potential shuttle system to connect the NPS museum/visitor center to downtown
Gettysburg, with Phase II studies underway; and
·
agreement
to use the first floor of the Wills House as a downtown welcome center by the
Borough of Gettysburg, the Gettysburg National Battlefield Museum Foundation,
and the Friends of the National Parks at Gettysburg, during the rehabilitation
of the Train Station.
Rehabilitation of Battlefield Landscapes - In July 2001, the NPS initiated this long-range project as called for in the approved park General Management Plan, which will rehabilitate areas of the battlefield where major battles took place so that they more closely resemble their 1863 appearance. As a result, visitors will be able to see the battlefield as the soldiers did at the time of the battle, understand the reasons that Generals made their decisions, and understand the experiences of the soldiers in carrying out those decisions. The landscape rehabilitation process will also improve wetlands, water quality and wildlife habitat throughout the 6,000-acre battlefield.
Gettysburg’s GMP calls for a major partnership with
the non-profit Gettysburg National Battlefield Museum Foundation, for the
fund-raising, design, construction, and operation of a new museum and visitor
center for the park. The project’s
goals are:
·
Protection
of the park’s collection of 38,000 artifacts and 700,000 archival documents and
historic photographs, one of the largest and most significant Civil War era
collections in the nation. New
facilities are needed to provide permanent protection, preservation and display
of the collections.
·
Preservation
treatment of the Cyclorama painting to stop the continued deterioration of the
largest and one of the most significant objects in the collection, a colossal
painting illustrating Pickett’s Charge, measuring 26 feet by 370 feet. The painting is designated a National
Historic Object. New facilities are
needed to provide permanent protection, preservation and display of the
painting.
·
Provision of
high-quality interpretation and educational opportunities for park visitors, with
new exhibits and broader interpretation that will provide visitors with an
understanding of the Gettysburg Campaign within the broad context of the Civil
War and American history, as mandated twice by the Congress.
(Public Law 101-377, "An Act to revise the
boundary of Gettysburg National Military Park," in 1990 directed the
National Park Service (NPS) to "take such action as is necessary and
appropriate to interpret, for the benefit of visitors to the park and the
general public, the Battle of Gettysburg in the larger context of the Civil War
and American history, including the causes and consequences of the Civil War
and including the effects of the war on all the American people." )
(The Department of the Interior FY2000
Appropriations: Joint Explanatory Statement of the Committee of the
Conference," Title I, p. 96. U.S.
Congress, 1999, stated "…Civil War battlefields throughout the country
hold great significance and provide vital historic educational opportunities
for millions of Americans. The managers
are concerned, however…the Civil War battlefields are often weak or missing
vital information about the role that the institution of slavery played in
causing the American Civil War. The
managers direct the Secretary of the Interior to encourage Civil War battle
sites to recognize and include in all of their public displays and multi-media
educational presentations the unique role that the institution of slavery
played in causing the Civil War and its role, if any, at the individual battle
sites.)
·
Rehabilitation
of the historic landscapes of the Union battle lines of July 2 and 3, 1863, by
removal of current visitor facilities and parking lots from the Union battle
line at Cemetery Ridge, where 34 Union regiments fought and over 970 soldiers
were killed, wounded, or captured during the Battle of Gettysburg.
The current partnership agreement includes not only design and construction of the new facilities, infrastructure, roads and parking, but also the design and installation of the museum exhibits, land acquisition for the new complex, the restoration and relocation of the historic Cyclorama painting, removal of current visitor facilities and associated roads and parking, restoration of the historic landscapes of Cemetery Ridge, relocation of NPS collections, equipment and furnishings to the new complex, a $10 million endowment for the maintaining and operating the facility, and the Foundation's administrative and fundraising costs. The Foundation’s fundraising campaign is now underway.
The Foundation expects to break ground for the
facility in early 2004, with the project completed in early 2006. The current facilities will be demolished at
that time and the historic landscape restoration will begin that same year.
Museum Foundation Progress To Date
On June 30, 2000, following nine months of review
through the NPS and the Department of the Interior, the Director of the NPS
approved the General Agreement and the Fundraising Agreement with the
Gettysburg National Battlefield Museum Foundation.
In July, 2000, the Museum Foundation created the
Gettysburg Museum Advisory Committee to advise the Foundation on the exhibit
design and story line for the new museum.
The advisory committee includes several nationally renowned scholars.
On October 24, 2000, the Museum Foundation announced its selection of Robert C. Wilburn as its first President. Mr. Wilburn is the former President and CEO of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, former President and CEO of the Carnegie Institute, a two-term Cabinet Secretary under Governor Dick Thornburgh of Pennsylvania, and has extensive experience and qualifications in economics, education, preservation, and the non-profit world. In particular, Mr. Wilburn was successful in raising $150 million in donations and gifts for the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation during his tenure there.
In November 2000, the Museum Foundation submitted
its Fundraising and Financial Management Plan to the NPS. Following comments by the NPS and revisions
by the Museum Foundation, the NPS approved the Foundation’s fundraising plan on
December 19, 2000.
In April 2001, the Museum Foundation completed a
Fundraising Feasibility study. Based
upon interviews with over 60 individuals and potential supporters, the study
identified 27 prospects with the capacity to give at the $5 million level and
another 25 who could give at the $1 million level.
The Museum Foundation initiated their public
fundraising campaign for the museum and visitor center in January of this
year. As of March 7, 2002, the Museum
Foundation has reported to the NPS that it has raised $8.38 million in
donations, which includes a $5 million donation from Mr. Kinsley and a $2.5
million appropriation from Congress for the conservation of the Cyclorama. The museum partnership has been designed to
work with 100% donated funds; we do not intend to seek from Congress any
appropriated funds.
In July 2001, after a nationwide search and
competition, the Museum Foundation selected the design team for the new
facilities. Cooper, Robertson &
Partners of New York were selected as project architects, due to their highly
praised work at Monticello, Charleston (SC), the Museum of Modern Art, the
Brooklyn Botanic Garden, and the Lincoln Center in NYC. Gallagher & Associates of Washington,
D.C., was chosen as the exhibit design firm, based upon its acclaimed exhibit
designs for the Smithsonian Institute, the Museum of Jewish Heritage (NPC), the
Canyon Visitor Center at Yellowstone National Park, and the Maryland Museum of
African American History and Culture in Baltimore.
On January 11, 2002, after six months of intensive
work by the design team, the Museum Foundation and the NPS, the Foundation
released the conceptual design for the new museum and visitor center. The site design was laid out to take maximum
advantage of the natural topography and to protect natural ecosystems (such as
wetlands). The exhibit design fully
complies with the Congressional direction to provide interpretation of the Battle
of Gettysburg within the context of the causes and consequences of the Civil
War, and was approved by the Gettysburg Museum Advisory Committee. The architectural design is carefully suited
to the rural agricultural landscapes of the Gettysburg area and has been widely
praised by the public.
Cost and
Space Comparisons
For the record, I offer the following explanation of
the changes in the size, scope and estimated cost on this project as provided
to me by NPS personnel.
The 1998 draft General Management Plan/Environmental
Impact Statement, produced by the NPS, estimated that the new museum/visitor
center facility would be approximately 118,000 square feet. The GMP also estimated that the Foundation
would need approximately $39 million to accomplish the goals described in the
GMP. In January 2002, based upon
completed conceptual design and other factors, the Museum Foundation announced
that the new facilities would be approximately 139,000 square feet in size, and
that the Foundation had established $95 million as its total project budget.
Although the size of the new facility and the cost
of the partnership have increased as a result of the completed conceptual
design, none of the components or functions of the complex, as described on pp.
87-92 of the GMP, have changed. The
proposed new museum/visitor center for Gettysburg NMP will provide visitor
services and collection storage just as described in the GMP. The conceptual design for the complex does
not add any new functions or components to the facility that were not discussed
with the public and described in the GMP.
As a result of these changes, NPS personnel believe the actions
described in the GMP will be accomplished at a higher level of quality and
commitment to the preservation of park resources and the enjoyment of park visitors.
In accordance with the agreement between the
NPS and the Museum Foundation, the NPS has complete review and approval
authority over all elements of the design, construction, and operations of the
new complex. In particular, the same NPS design, review, and approval processes
will be followed for this project as are followed for all NPS construction
projects funded by Congressional appropriations. As part of this review and
approval process, the Museum Foundation will perform value engineering analysis
for the proposed project, and will submit design documents to the NPS
Development Advisory Board for review and approval.
The GMP for Gettysburg NMP stated, in discussing the
estimated costs of each alternative considered, that "the costs provided in this appendix are indicative of the capital and
operational costs of implementing the alternatives. They are provided so that reviewers can compare the general costs
and benefits of the GMP alternatives.
Specific costs for construction and operation would be determined for
individual actions after detailed designs are produced."
This language is in conformance with NPS Special
Directive 87-1, "Development of Costs Estimates for General Management
Plans, Development Concept Plans, and Special Studies," which states:
Section 604 of Public Law 95-625 requires General Management Plans to
indicate types and general intensities of development including general
locations, timing of implementation and anticipated costs…The Service has made
a commitment to OMB and the Department that these estimates are used to compare
the cost of alternatives presented in the plans and not for budgetary
purposes…Estimates for advanced and project planning to support a proposed
construction item will be provided separately.
As articulated in the GMP, and in accordance with
Special Directive 87-1, the Museum Foundation and the NPS released revised cost
estimates for the partnership project upon the completion of the conceptual
design. In brief, the increase in the
project's budget may be attributed to four general factors; a detailed project
budget comparison and square footage comparison is attached to our testimony.
General inflation. In the four years since the NPS and the Museum Foundation signed
the Letter of Intent in 1998 inflation has increased all costs across the
board. In addition, the Museum
Foundation has programmed its costs ahead to the proposed year of construction
in 2004, which the NPS had not done in the GMP. Increased costs due to inflation are approximately $7.6 million.
Increased Space. During the process of completing the conceptual design, the
project design team, composed of the NPS, the Museum Foundation, and the
contracted architectural firms, proposed additional space. In particular, the Foundation agreed to
expand the museum exhibit space through the addition of a transition gallery,
provision for "open storage" of artifacts, and two interactive
resource centers (data banks) for visitor use.
By recommendation of the design team, "circulation" space throughout
the museum complex was increased across-the-board, in order to provide a more
peaceful and reflective museum experience for visitors. Administrative space for Museum Foundation
staff was added to the building's program.
Design, construction, and exhibit installation costs increased,
proportionally, with the increase in the building's envelope. The estimate of
the increased cost over the GMP estimate is approximately $8.5 million.
Enhanced Exhibits and
Visitor Experience. Throughout the conceptual
design process, the Museum Foundation exhibited an exceptional dedication to
quality and in numerous cases, agreed to take on the fundraising burden of
accomplishing more than is required by the partnership agreement. For example, the GMP requires the
restoration of the existing Cyclorama Painting, and the plan expressed the hope
that the missing historic diorama could be restored "if
possible." The Museum Foundation
has not only made the commitment to restore the missing three-dimensional
historic diorama which accompanied the original painting, but has also made the
commitment to represent the sky which is missing from the original painting -
both at considerable extra costs. In
addition, the Museum Foundation made the commitment to include "open
storage" areas in the new museum complex, which was not required by the
project agreement, so that the public could see more of the park’s extensive
collection of Civil War artifacts.
Other issues which the Foundation intends to
address, which are enhancements beyond the original partnership agreements
include: additional access roads, overflow parking, picnic facilities, walking
trails, furnishings, film production, and additional costs in the remediation
of the current visitor center site. The
total cost of the additional enhancements and projects over the original GMP
estimate is approximately $19.6 million.
Fundraising and Endowment. The NPS estimates in the GMP did not include the cost of
fundraising; rather, NPS estimates were based upon funds required to accomplish
the partnership goals, such as land acquisition and construction. In keeping with standard practice in
non-profit fundraising, the Museum Foundation includes approximately $10
million for administrative and fundraising costs in the project budget. Finally, above and beyond the requirements
of the project agreement, the Museum Foundation informed the NPS that it would
like to include an endowment of $10 million in the project budget, to be used
for ongoing facility maintenance and preservation of the park's collections.
Future
Activities
With the conceptual design for the complex now
complete, the Museum Foundation will concentrate heavily upon fundraising for
the near future. In the meantime, the
Foundation has released a Request for Proposals for a consultant to prepare the
condition assessment and treatment plan for the conservation and relocation of
the Cyclorama Painting.
If fundraising is as successful as anticipated, the
Foundation has announced that it plans to break ground for the new complex in
2004. Construction and installation of
exhibits would be expected to take approximately two years, which would
indicate an opening date in 2006. Following
the relocation of NPS collections, furnishings and materials from the current
visitor facilities into the new complex, restoration of the historic landscape
of Seminary Ridge would take place in 2007.
In accordance with Director's Order #21,
"Donations and Fundraising," the Museum Foundation may not break
ground for construction until it has "sufficient…funds in hand to complete
the work so that it is usable." As
a result, the Foundation will not start construction until the Foundation and
the NPS are mutually assured that sufficient funds have been secured.
Estimates based on an actual
design, inflation, fundraising costs, and a number of enhancements that the
Museum Foundation has agreed to fund, has increased the estimated cost of the
project by $56 million. I understand
the concerns the Committee may have about the foundation’s ability to reach the
new fund raising goal in a timely manner.
While it is anticipated that
groundbreaking may take place in 2004, let me assure you that construction will
not begin until there sufficient funds in hand to complete the planned construction
project.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for this opportunity to testify and we
would be most happy to answer any questions the Committee may have for us.
GETTYSBURG NATIONAL BATTLEFIELD MUSEUM FOUNDATION
Project Budget Comparison - 1998 to 2004
The following is a comparison of the cost estimates associated with the partnership between the National Park Service and Gettysburg National Battlefield Museum Foundation. The cost estimates are for the entire partnership project, which includes design and construction of a new museum and visitor center facility which will incorporate new collections storage, museum and visitor center space with interpretive exhibits and venues as described in the park's General Management Plan; restoration of the Cyclorama Painting," demolition of existing visitor facilities and their associated roads and parking, restoration of the historic landscape of the current visitor center areas, and relocation of NPS personnel, equipment, furnishings and collections into the new facility.
The 1998 estimates are taken from the GNMP General Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement, which cautions that:
This GMP is programmatic: that is, it gives guidance in the form of management prescriptions for future decision making regarding resource protection, interpretation, public use and development, but it does not elaborate on the details of the definitive actions. Therefore, the costs provided in this appendix are indicative of the capital and operational costs of implementing the alternatives. They are provided so that reviewers can compare the general costs and benefits of the GMP alternatives. Specific costs for construction and operation would be determined for individual actions after detailed designs are produced. (p. 336, italics added)
As promised, the conceptual phase of design has now been completed. The 2004 estimates below are taken from the completed conceptual design for the project.
1998 Cost Estimate 2004 Cost Estimate Change
Land Acquisition $ 4,250,000 $ 3,968,531 -$ 281,469
The Foundation has acquired all the land necessary for successful completion of the project. They have a $700,000 reserve in the land acquisition budget, in case there is an opportunity to acquire and protect more property immediately adjacent to the museum entrance on Baltimore Pike.
Design Services $ 3,600,000 $ 6,440,000 +$ 2,840,000
Design services includes architectural, engineering, and exhibit design fees, as well as required consultant services for traffic studies, wetland mitigation, archeological surveys, etc. Fees have increased due to inflationary factors between 1998 and 2001 when the design team was hired, the quality of the design team engaged, the addition of painting conservators consulting fees for the restoration of the Cyclorama Painting, and the Foundation's agreement to absorb site design costs for both Foundation and NPS-owned lands effected by the project.
Museum/VC Construction $20,684,299 $34,000,000 +$13,315,701
Museum/VC cost estimates have increased due to inflationary factors between 1998 and 2004; additional exhibit space for transition gallery, temporary exhibits and interactive resource centers; additional visitor circulation space within the museum/VC as advised by the design team (see Breakdown of Square Footage of New Facility); and the proposed use of native stone and timber materials for exterior construction (instead of brick).
Exhibits, Displays,
Cyclorama Painting
Restoration, Diorama
Restoration,
& Relocation of NPS Collections $ 5,000,000 $12,100,000 +$ 7,100,000
Exhibit costs have increased due to the Foundation's agreement to add the missing historic diorama and skyspace back into the Cyclorama Painting; increased cost estimates for restoration of the Cyclorama Painting, expanded exhibit gallery space as above; and the Foundation's agreement to add "open storage" space to the complex in order to allow visitors to see more of the park's artifact collection.
Offsite Improvements $ 1,075,000 $ 5,500,000 +$ 4,425,000
Offsite Improvements include utility and road installation and connection into the Foundation property. Costs have increased due to the Foundation's agreement to provide an entry/exit road across NPS land, additional improved overflow parking on NPS land, additional picnic facilities and walking trails, and to restore much of the adjacent NPS land to its historic appearance.
Building Fit-Out 0 $ 5,000,000 +$ 5,000,000
Building Fit Out includes general interior design work and furnishing costs for the theater, food service and museum/bookstore. The 1998 estimate presumed that building fit-out would be a responsibility of the operators of these venues. Since this would result in passing the cost of fit-out on to future park visitors, the Foundation has determined that it would rather add these costs to the fund-raising budget, in order to keep visitor fees as low as possible.
Film Production 0 $ 1,000,000 +$ 1,000,000
As above, the 1998 estimate presumed that the operator of the theater would absorb the costs of film production, and pass the cost on to visitors. As above, the Foundation has determined that it would rather add these costs to the fund-raising budget, in order to keep visitor fees as low as possible.
Ziegler's Grove
Demolition &
Landscape Restoration $ 1,400,000 $ 4,000,000 +$ 2,600,000
Costs to remove the current visitor facilities have increased due to better estimates of the costs of removing of hazardous materials imbedded in the building construction, and the suspected existence of a former town dump underneath a portion of a parking lot.
Other Related Costs & Fees $ 575,000 $ 459,119 -$ 115,881
Includes loan fees, appraisals, title insurance, real estate taxes, etc.
Interest $ 2,700,000 $ 2,475,000 -$ 225,000
Expected interest cost on loans throughout the life of the project.
Endowment 0 $10,000,000 +$10,000,000
The 1998 budget did not include an endowment. The Foundation has proposed, and the NPS has agreed, to provide an endowment to be used to assist with ongoing annual building maintenance and preservation of the park's collection of Civil War artifacts.
Administrative &
Fundraising
Costs 0 $10,071,305 +$10,071,305
Includes fundraising and external relations efforts, foundation staff salaries, and office and administrative costs. The 1998 estimate did not include these costs, but was based upon the "net" required fundraising (i.e., the net fundraising required for the project, after the costs of fundraising had been reimbursed.) The Foundation has proposed, and the NPS agreed, that the cost of fund-raising should be shown as part of the overall project budget.
Project Totals $39,284,299 $95,013,955 +$55,729,656
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GNBMF Museum & Visitor Center |
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March 6, 2002 |
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The following is an area comparison
between the GMP and current architectural floor areas. |
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Proposed
1997 |
GMP
1999 |
Current |
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SF |
SF |
SF |
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Welcome Center / Circulation |
34,708 |
22,990 |
22,600 |
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Guide Tour Center |
Included above |
4,600 |
included above |
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Museum/Circulation |
20,906 |
23,760 |
35,350* |
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Classrooms/Circulation |
1,750 |
1,950 |
2,400 |
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Library/ Research/Archives/Circulation |
14,900 |
16,600 |
19,150 |
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Cyclorama/Map/Theater/Circulation |
27,145 |
34,000 |
39,000 |
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IMAX Theater |
15,738 |
0 |
0 |
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Book/Museum Store |
7,622 |
6,000 |
6,000 |
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Natl’ Geographic Store |
3,056 |
0 |
0 |
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Civil War Arts &Crafts Gallery |
2,445 |
0 |
0 |
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Gift Store |
2,522 |
0 |
0 |
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Food Service |
12,144 |
4,500 |
4, 500 |
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Administration |
3,226 |
3,700 |
10,000 |
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Total |
145,802 |
118,100 |
139,000 |
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*Includes new space not previously programmed:
transition gallery space, temporary exhibit galleries and two interactive
resource centers |
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