Ames History Museum, Ames (Design-Build)

The Ames History Museum, having outgrown its space, purchased the Ames Pantorium building next door. The Pantorium was constructed in 1926 with several Art Deco features. Henkel’s Central Iowa pre-construction experts worked closely with the design team on this design-build project to mesh the owner’s budget with their desired enhancements of the existing buildings. One solution was a precast elevator and stair addition that could serve the two adjacent buildings. The 2-story museum building has an entirely new roof structure that was raised from its original elevation to provide a more spacious gallery. Overall exhibit gallery space is quintupled, with a focus on active learning and discovery for all ages. Now there is room to house and care for artifacts and archival materials on-site, preserving local history for future generations. We’ve built a welcoming and unique gathering space, whose exhibits and programs will bring visitors to downtown Ames, foster community pride, and provide opportunities for meaningful engagement with the past.