Museums of Western Colorado seeks unified campus feasibility study; DDA chips in $40,000

Sheena Hayden, executive director of the Museums of Western Colorado, told the council the organization is exploring a consolidated Grand Junction campus to strengthen long‑term sustainability and broaden community programming across three museum sites (Dinosaur Journey, Cross Orchards and the Museum of the West).

Hayden stressed the museums’ accredited status with the American Alliance of Museums and said the organization is undertaking a structural feasibility study that will examine the Whitman Building’s foundation and other building needs. “We are looking to build something new and exciting while we are still honoring the past,” Hayden said, describing a vision for revitalization, stability and community impact.

She described recent growth in visitation and student programming — reporting more than 4,370 student visits this year — and outlined near‑term steps: a structural walk‑through by an engineer, a contracted feasibility study and community outreach. Hayden invited council members and residents to the State of the Museum address and community roundtable on Jan. 13 to gather public priorities.

The Downtown Development Authority has pledged up to $40,000 to help fund the Grand Junction component of the feasibility work, Hayden said. The museum will bring study findings and more detailed options for locations — including potential downtown sites and comparative costs for consolidating in Fruita or elsewhere — back to the city as the analysis proceeds.

Council members asked about methodology and how the museum used in‑house economic impact calculations. Hayden said the current economic impact numbers were produced in‑house using standard formulas and that the museums plan to partner with consultants to refine estimates as part of the feasibility work.

No formal city funding decision was made at the workshop; the museums and staff agreed to continue coordination on the study and public outreach.