As part of the on-going improvements to the Lindsay Warren Visitor Center at Fort Raleigh National Historic Site Visitor Center, the second phase of upgrades began this week and includes the installation of new exhibits. These new exhibits will replace the displays installed when the visitor center was constructed in 1965.This project work is expected to be completed by Memorial Day weekend, just prior to the start of the busy summer season.
The new exhibits cover a wide-range of park stories, including the Carolina Algonquian, the Roanoke Voyages and the Lost Colony, the Civil War Battle of Roanoke Island, the Roanoke Island Freedmen's Colony, and Reginald Fessenden's wireless radio achievement on Roanoke Island.Many park artifacts will be highlighted--some displayed for the first time in a National Park Service exhibit.The new exhibits will feature multiple interactive audio-visual stations to help engage the visitor further with various park stories.
The first phase of upgrade to the Fort Raleigh Visitor Center, an external rehabilitation project of the facility, was completed in 2011."We are excited to be able to provide such great improvements to the visitor experience at the park," stated Outer Banks Group Superintendent Barclay Trimble."These are engaging stories of people who came to this island with great hopes and dreams.Some of these dreams came true. Others were lost. These exhibits will help visitors explore these stories-to find what is known and what is yet to be discovered."
The prime contractor and fabricator for the exhibit project is Mystic Scenic Studios in Norwood, MA. The design team consisted of Exhibit Designer Studio 647 in Melrose, MA, Exhibit Developer Big Ring Design in Providence, RI, and Graphic Designer One x Design in Gloucester, MA.Northern Lights Productions in Boston, MA is completing the audiovisual work. Local area subcontractors include Pamlico Painting & Cleaning Co. andPrecise Electrical Service.
Park visitors will experience some disruption as the work progresses.The visitor center is expected to remain open during the entire installation.For more information on Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, see www.nps.gov/fora or call 252-475-9001.
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Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
