Community Museum in Olde Towne to Close for Renovations

This is the last week to visit the Gaithersburg Community Museum in Olde Towne Gaithersburg before it closes for three months to undergo renovations.

The museum is located along the historic Baltimore & Ohio Railway that runs through Olde Towne and is housed in the brick freight house that stored corn and grain from Gaithersburg farms. The freight house and the adjacent train station, which has been converted into a coffee shop called Java Junction, were designed by appointed B&O Railroad architect Ephraim Francis Baldwin. Built in 1884, they are both listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and the train station remains active as a MARC (commuter) train ticket counter.  

The City of Gaithersburg acquired the buildings in 1984 and opened the former freight shed as a museum in 1988. Less than 10 percent of the museum's holdings are on display in the small gabled building. The city is developing a searchable database to keep track of its collection.

The interior renovations, which will take place over the next three months, between December and the end of March, intend to modernize and make efficient use of the space available for exhibits.

A Buffalo Creek and Gauley Steam Engine and a caboose—a freight train car used as sleeping and cooking quarters for crew members—are part of the museum's current holdings and are located between the museum and its rear parking lot. The caboose will continue to serve as exhibit space after the interior renovations on the main building, and a new Budd car, an 80-foot stainless steel passenger car, on order from the Hagerstown Roundhouse Museum will expand available exhibit space by 700 square feet.  

"The museum was established to keep Gaithersburg history alive," said Gail Smith, Collections Manager at the Community Museum and a Gaithersburg resident since 1976. "School groups visit frequently, and young children love the model train set."

The model—which takes up one-third of the space in the museum, requires a motor to run, and depicts a Pennsylvania railroad town—is leaving the museum.

Although it is a popular visitor attraction, the model is difficult to maintain and does not represent Gaithersburg history. According to a Washington Post article, the Rockville Model Railroad Society, which loaned the train set to the Community Museum 17 years ago, would be responsible for finding a home for the model.

Anticipated improvements to the exhibit spaces include a themed reorganization of the interior, interactive exhibits, timeline-based sequencing, a reading and activity area for children, an integrated customer service desk and gift shop and potentially a new model train display of Gaithersburg's rail history. The museum will also be expanding its public programming as part of the overhaul.

"Museums must use space, collections and other resources to the fullest potential; regularly updating approaches to fulfill their missions; and periodically develop new attractions if they are to retain and build new audiences.  This redesign will help create a more meaningful and vibrant experience for our visitors," said Cultural Arts Director Denise Kayser.

With rotating exhibits, the Community Museum is currently featuring a photo exhibit of "Memorable Montgomery Barns," artifacts of "Gaithersburg Milling and Manufacturing," "Gaithersburg in the Civil War," and "A Brief History of Railroad Rolling Stock and Locomotives," a set of toy train models on loan from a local collector. Entry to the museum is free of charge.

The City of Gaithersburg Community Museum includes the restored train station and freight house, historic trains, and History Park, which is located between the train station and former freight house.

To find out more about the Community Museum go to: http://www.gaithersburgmd.gov/poi/default.asp?POI_ID=1075&TOC=1;1075;