The Matheson History Museum is currently demolishing the former Melting Pot building and will start constructing a new space by June.
The space, located at 418 E. University Ave., will serve as storage for the museum, allowing it to better care for its collections, said Rebecca Fitzsimmons, the curator and archivist for the museum.
“The archive and library spaces will be much larger and equipped with compact shelving units, which will vastly expand the available storage space for the growing collection,” she said.
A small display will showcase the building’s history, including stained glass windows that previously adorned The Melting Pot, she said.
“The building was originally constructed as the Gainesville Gospel Tabernacle Church and was later used as an antique store,” Fitzsimmons said.
Moving the archives will clear an existing space, she said, which will later include extended exhibitions, an interactive area for children and a meeting hall for public use.
Fitzsimmons said the Florida Department of State awarded the museum a $300,000 Historic Preservation Grant in 2015, helping to transform the restaurant space, which had been vacant for five years.
Matthew King, a 20-year-old UF industrial and systems engineering sophomore, said he enjoys learning about the history of Gainesville, citing “The Long Road to Freedom,” a popular exhibit that closed March 25 after the museum extended it for a week past its original closing date.
King said increased space for information and artifacts will encourage more guests to visit the museum.
“The bigger the exhibit, the more attention it will receive,” he said.
