LYNN — At the Grand Army of the Republic Hall and Museum (GAR), a major behind-the-scenes effort is underway to bring a century-old collection back into full public view. Curator Wendy Joseph says the work depends as much on community support as it does on construction and preservation.

Joseph describes the current moment as one of careful balancing: preserving a nationally significant collection while actively reshaping the building to bring it fully back to life.

Inside the historic hall, that challenge is visible everywhere. Artifacts that should be on display are temporarily placed throughout the building due to space limitations and ongoing upgrades. 

“Things are stored in the middle of the Grand Hall, which is horrifying,” Joseph said, underscoring the urgency of the situation. “None of this should be a storage space. This should be another rental property like it was.”

The museum, which holds more than a century’s worth of Civil War–era history, is in the middle of a transition. Joseph is overseeing efforts to reorganize and relocate materials to free up exhibit space while also modernizing how the collection is accessed.

“We still work off of an old card catalog,” she said. “So … we’re digitizing it and putting it online.”

That digitization work is being moved to an upper-floor space, allowing staff to shift items out of the Grand Hall and begin reclaiming it for its intended purpose: public engagement.

“One of the ways that we hope will be most impactful will be taking down this wall in order to create a large exhibit space,” Joseph explained. The wall separates what used to be the GE union meeting room and her office space. 

The need is not just logistical but it’s also about preservation. Many items in the collection are fragile and require careful handling and environmental stability. Joseph pointed to a set of World War I copper-toned prints as an example. 

“They’re so fragile… It’s going to take $225,000 just to get them so that they don’t degrade any further,” she said. “We’re taking excellent care, but we would love to display them again.”

For Joseph, that desire to display artifacts is central to the museum’s mission. “They should be shown,” she said. “They have been kept in this building for over a hundred years for a reason.”

Beyond the building itself, improvements are also coming to the surrounding area. 

According to Community Development Director, James Marsh, Andrew Street will see a series of streetscape upgrades, including the planning of installing of new post lamps and banners highlighting the museum. 

Ten new trees are being planted where a chain-link fence once stood, part of a broader effort to make the area more welcoming and visible.

Joseph described the moment she learned about the plans as both surprising and encouraging. 

“There was a lot of buzz from the fabulous ribbon cutting,” she said. “And we expect good things.” She added that support from community development efforts has already played a role in projects like the building’s elevator, helping the museum move forward despite rising costs.

Programming is also evolving. 

A planned fall “beans supper,” funded through a veterans grant, aims to reconnect the space with its historical roots as a gathering place. The event reflects a broader goal of reviving traditions that once brought together veterans and the wider community.

Ultimately, Joseph says the future of the museum depends on public engagement. 

While the building is open for tours several days a week by appointment, she emphasized that awareness and advocacy are just as important as attendance. 

“They can help by coming… maybe writing a letter to the mayor or the City Council,” she said. “Just to know that we are working hard.”

That support matters because the museum tells stories that might otherwise be lost including stories of soldiers from vastly different backgrounds, united in a single post. 

As the Grand Army of the Republic Hall and Museum works toward a fuller reopening, its transformation is about more than renovations. It is about ensuring that the history within its walls remains visible, accessible, and valued for generations to come.