The National Solar Observatory is pleased to announce that construction is scheduled to begin by the end of April on the new education and visitor center on the grounds of NSO/SP. Completion is scheduled for December 1996 with an official opening tentatively scheduled for the spring of 1997. Final plans are for a 5,000 sq.ft. building with a $1.17M construction budget. The total project budget, including initial displays, is $1.5M.
The goal of the project is to provide education and improved visitor conveniences to the 35,000+ annual visitors to NSO/SP. This education/visitor center will offer a range of activities and services including displays, restrooms, vending machines, a gift/souvenir shop, and RV/bus parking. The museum will include exhibits on solar physics, stellar astronomy, solar-terrestrial effects (global change), the ecosystem, and cultural and natural history. A trailhead will connect to the National Forest trail system, and will include interpretation of the biological and cultural resources.
A large measure of the success of this project can be attributed to the strong multi-agency partnerships behind it. The partners include both federal and state agencies: National Solar Observatory, State of New Mexico Tourism and Highway Departments, Federal Department of Transportation, New Mexico State University, Apache Point Observatory, USDA Forest Service, and International Space Hall of Fame.
Funding for the project is derived from State of New Mexico severance tax bonds under the authority of the Department of Tourism and US Department of Transportation Intermodal Surface Transportation Enhancement Act (ISTEA) Scenic Byway funds. State money was used to provide matching funds for qualification under the federal program for the development of scenic highway systems.
Rex Hunter