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The Franconia Museum has moved into a new government center at 7130 Silver Lake Blvd. in Kingstowne, bringing the community’s historic artifacts into a newly designed space.
The museum officially opened there April 11, but operating hours remain limited to one day a week until further notice. Relocating a room filled with fragile, dusty artifacts took more time and care than organizers initially expected.
Nathaniel Lee, a longtime museum curator who helped with the move, called it “a beautiful new space.”
The original museum opened more than 20 years ago in the former government building on Franconia Road. Over time, it became a community cornerstone, displaying farming equipment, Civil War objects, parade photographs and the large “Franconia” train station sign. The sign is also expected to become part of the new museum.
Museum officials are now working with a Smithsonian museum expert to improve how the collection is handled, stored and displayed. The expert volunteered at the Franconia Museum while the Smithsonian was closed during the recent government shutdown.
The move also brought an overlooked piece of local history back into view. While clearing the old museum, workers found a Civil War ammunition pouch that had sat on an obscure shelf for nearly 20 years.
The pouch belonged to local soldier Carey Lee, who was related to the Nalls family associated with the museum and nearby Nalls Produce.