Matheson History Museum launches campus renewal initiative to expand public access

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) -Visitors to the Matheson History Museum may notice changes on their next visit.

Museum leaders say they’re launching a Collections Access and Campus Renewal Initiative aimed at improving public access to the museum’s archives and updating the overall visitor experience.

“So what we’ve really been looking at is the efficiency and the access that people have to our collections,” Salvatore Cumella, the museum’s executive director, said. “We have fantastic collections, and we want to make sure that they’re available to the public to use for research and to learn about our history as much as possible,” he said.

Museum leaders say the project includes moving the museum’s research library into the old American Legion building and relocating archives and files to more accessible, better-suited spaces. The goal, they say, is to make materials easier to use while also improving how the museum stores and manages its collection.

The renewal work is expected to be completed by the end of July 2026. After that, the museum plans to open a new exhibit on Aug. 19, followed by a welcome reception.

The new exhibit is titled Chains of Steel and examines the institution of slavery through the writings of an enslaver, Augustus Steel, according to museum leaders.

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