(The Center Square) – The State Museum of Pennsylvania closed its doors Sunday (Aug. 2, 2026) to begin its largest renovation to date, using $79.73 million in state funding.
By Julia Kramer, Intern Reporter for The Center Square
Republished with editing by Travels With The Post
The project could take up to 2-1/2 years to complete, unlike anything the museum has done before. It has been subject to surface-level renovations over the years. However, this newest plan will make large changes and target its infrastructure.
Current completion predictions estimate the museum will re-open in early 2029.
“There hasn’t been anything like this since the museum opened in 1964,” Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC) representative Jay Losiewicz says. “We’re bringing the building back up to where it needs to be” for 21st Century visitors.
The work includes increasing visitor amenities and providing a free first-floor exhibit.
The museum also will build new rooms for artifact loans and traveling exhibits. They will include a state-of-the-art heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system. It should enable delicate artifacts from other museums to be safely displayed in temperature and humidity-controlled conditions.
Top photo provided by Commonwealth Media Services
A Plan Years In The Making
The comprehensive and invasive nature of the museum’s renovation prompted planning over several years.
Taking care of employees during the museum’s closure was carefully considered, Losiewicz reports. “The renovation for the State Museum is something we’ve been talking about at PHMC for about 15 years now,” Losiewicz says.
“Other than retirements, we are not losing any staff because of this,” he adds. Employees who cannot work with internal bureaus while the museum is under construction will be provided positions at other PHMC facilities.
The museum is intends to conduct in-person community events throughout the renovation. It expects to continue engaging with kids, its central audience.
State Sen. Patty Kim and Rep. Nate Davidson were among those attending the renovation’s kick-off renovation in Harrisburg. Both agreed youths will primarily benefit from the project.
“It’s really about my kids,” Davidson explains. “Investments like this are so, so important for the next generation, so they also learn about where we came from and where we’re going next.”
Attendance Declining at Some Venues
Not all museums and communities can share such a sunny outlook.
The Philadelphia Museum of Art is red-lining again, following a $4.5 million deficit last year. It is looking at a projected $10 million deficit for the 2025-2026 fiscal year.
It reflects a national trend of growing financial pressure and decreased attendance in American museums, More than half are reportedly failing to reach pre-pandemic numbers.
Losiewicz hopes these new renovations will draw in more crowds. He believes the Pennsylvania State Museum has always deserved unique attention.
“Its main role is to really just tell the story of Pennsylvania. There’s not really another museum in the state that does that.” Losiewicz notes.
The museum attempts to inform its visitors on everything from dinosaurs to Pennsylvania’s current influential industries. “That was what the state museum was designed to do, and that is what it will continue to do.” Losiewicz said.
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