Part of Project25, a multi-phase construction project that began in December 2019, the Wright Museum of World War II recently acquired property on Trotting Track Rd. in Wolfeboro.
Two miles from the Wright Museum’s 77 Center Street campus, the new property will be the future home of a storage and maintenance facility for the museum’s permanent collection of vintage WWII vehicles. The property will not be open to the public.
Wright Board President Anne Blodget said the new off-campus facility will enable rotation of vehicles and also provide flexibility for better use of visitor space at the museum.
“It will also provide our volunteer MVP’s [Museum Vehicle Personnel] with more efficient working space needed to maintain and conserve these iconic vehicles,” she added.
According to Wright Executive Director Mike Culver, moving select vehicles off-campus will enable the museum to turn the current Center Street Wright garage into a WWII-styled ‘Motor Pool’ open to all visitors.
“Our most popular and historically important tanks, though, will remain at the museum,” added Culver, who said Wright WWII vehicles often participate in community events, including Wolfeboro’s 4th of July Parade and Touch-a-Truck. “Our vehicles also provide rides at our popular Family Day in July.”
He said the Motor Pool space will additionally enable staff to create new displays within the main museum building.
“New displays will be created that tell the before and after of the WWII experience,” Culver explained. “We will be able to better educate visitors about this important period in American history.”
According to Blodget, the purchase of the new property is an important step in Project25, which will result in the expansion of The Wright’s education center, exhibit and archival spaces by May and the 2020 season.
“We are preserving favorite existing exhibits, while at the same time creating superior seminar space, enhancing exhibit flow, and delivering efficiencies for future functions of all kinds,” she said. “Visitors will immediately recognize these enhancements.”
She credited “generous donors” as instrumental in the continued and future success of Project25.
“The Wright is very grateful to those who have initiated the funding of Project25,” said Blodget. “We look forward to engaging more supporters who can help us complete this phased plan.”
The region’s leading resource for educators and learners of all ages on World War II, Wright Museum will reopen in May of 2020, although school tours can be arranged from January-April.
