The Lopez Museum is a classic part of the landscape in Lopez Village. With the Sally J out front and the building opening year in and year out, it seems to be one of those things in life that remains the same. Change, however, is coming.

For the first time since the capital fundraising for the Port Stanley School House, the museum has set a major financial ambition for itself to expand the museum.

“There are several elements to the project,” says museum director Mark Thompson-Klein. “The primary one is that we need more collections, storage and work space. Access to the muesum is another element and also the permanent exterior maritime exhibit which would be available all year.”

The impetus to begin fundraising for such a project was provided in part by a grant from the estate of Eva Hitchcock, a Lopez resident who died two years ago. “That will pay for two-thirds of the development” says Thompson-Klein, estimating the remaining third at approximately $10,000.

“This is not the best time to ask people for funds,” he adds. He hopes people realize how crucial the museum is in keeping the Lopez heritage alive.

One key part of the development is specifically geared toward making this history accessable.

The museum possesses a catalog of an estimated 10,000 photos. These photos give history, context, and answers to questions people have about Lopez. Thompson-Klein says that large numbers of people already use the library catalog as a resource to look into the past. On-going efforts to catalog and digitally archive photos and artifacts means items are not only organized, but linked to other relevant materials.

Many photos have hand written information on the back, mixing the old with the new. This touch was courtesy of Gertrude Lovejoy Boede, one of the founders of the museum. Boede reportedly worked a 50 hour week gathering material prior to writing information on each photo and filing it.

It is this collection along with other items, that is now in need of proper storing. “We just dont have the space any more,” explains Thompson-Klein. Some of the collection over flows into museum out buildings, but yet more is stored simply in the garage of a museum member. If funds are met, the museum will construct a storage addition to the building that will allow temperature and humidity control.

This move to more sophisticated maintenance will also be seen in the other adjustments to the museum. The funds will allow the building to add features allowing wheel chair access and a better restroom access. The final portion of the funds will be directed towards defining landmark of the Sally J.

“People come from all over the Pacific NorthWest to see the boat,” says Thompson-Klein, “and boats tend to melt in the rain.” Since the Sally J is uncovered, the museum wants to build an enclosure over her to prevent this happening. “And to allow room for interertive exhibits that would be available all year round and outside museum opening hours. “

The museum is inviting the public to come and view the plans for these improvements. Those involved do not have any plans to throw a specific fundraising event, preferring people’s donations to be prompted by the physical reality of the plans and information available. “We will have our usual summer fund raiser,” says Thompson-Klein, “but we are hoping that that will be more of a celebrations that we have the funds, and less a last push to get them.”