ALTUS - According to Bart McClenny, director of the Museum of the Western Prairie, the museum will close July 17 for an extended period of time for repairs.

"We've known for years that the acoustic material on the ceiling in the original part of the building contains asbestos, and the Oklahoma Historical Society (our parent organization) has finally decided to undertake its removal." He adds that a lack of money has prevented the work from beginning until now. "But we received money through the Legislature a year or so ago. Part of the money was assigned to roof repairs, already complete, and the rest is for the abatement project."

McClenny stresses the building poses no danger, either past or present, to museum visitors or staff. Numerous samples and air quality tests have repeatedly determined the otherwise dangerous material is currently stable. But there are two reasons the museum has chosen to move ahead with the project now. First, the money may not be available when the material does in fact become unstable and therefore dangerous. "We'd simply have to close at that point, and wait for funding," says McClenny, "and it might or might not be available." Secondly, the presence of the material means the effected areas cannot be disturbed. Overhead air conditioning ducts, electrical wiring and lighting, telephone cabling, in some cases even plumbing--cannot be altered, modified, or replaced without possibly destabilizing the material.

In other areas, remodeling projects could upset the binder containing the asbestos. "You have to understand how the museum has changed over the last thirty-seven years," says McClenny. The museum was a shell when it first opened, with exposed walls. The ceiling was bare cement, and the rooms dim and hollow. The ceiling and upper walls were treated for this and other aesthetic reasons. At the time, asbestos was commonly used in such applications. "Unfortunately, the treatment preceded many other improvements, such as the built-in wall cases in the McMahan Room. Now we have asbestos in recessed, awkward areas--but places where we still need access--and to remove the asbestos and allow this means partially destroying the exhibit areas."

To illustrate the degree of damage that will likely occur, McClenny points to the drop ceiling in the foyer and library areas. "We're told the wood cannot be cleaned where it has been over-sprayed with the asbestos-containing material. We'll lose the drop ceiling, for example, that suspends the lighting in this part of the building, holds up the return-air ductwork, conceals wires, conduit, cables, pipes.... Office walls, bathroom walls, and other partition walls will lose the ceiling above them, and become cubicles instead of rooms." He points out that the framework of the built-in cases in the McMahan Room will be compromised, meaning they will have to be stabilized during the abatement process, and afterward rebuilt to some degree.

Ahead of the asbestos removal, the museum staff will have a great deal of preparation. Joined by employees from other OHS sites, the contents of one half of the museum will be relocated into the other half temporarily. "It'll be tight," says McClenny, "but it could be worse. At least we have a place to go with all this." The other half of the museum, which includes the Braddock Room and storage areas, is unaffected by asbestos. "That area was built in the late 1970s and early 1980s, after asbestos was no longer used."

At present, McClenny says the museum will close July 17, 2007. The staff will change at that point to a Monday through Friday schedule, to accommodate workers. He expects moving out of the effected area will be complete by August 13, and that the asbestos removal will begin on the same date. "The area will be completely sealed off from the rest of the building. We won't be able to assess the situation until the work is complete, probably near the end of September." At that point, McClenny says the second phase, perhaps more complicated than the first, will begin. "We'll have to rebuild the effected areas. Plans will be made, contractors called, bids taken, costs finalized.... And we'll have to hope there's enough money for whatever we need." Once the cleaned area of the museum is restored, McClenny adds, the staff then will have to move everything back. "This is going to be a long process. We're going to have a lot of help, but there are a lot of unknowns at this point," he says. "We hope to reopen in early 2008. Maybe looking a little better, or at least a little different, despite all the wear and tear."