Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer Rehabilitation

Designed by the renowned Edward Durell Stone, the Stuhr Museum has been carefully preserved since its original construction in the early 1960's. Sampson Construction completed renovations to maintain the original beauty of the site and architectural concepts, while providing necessary functionality updates. After existing mechanical systems and non-structural walls were demolished, new boilers, chiller, air handlers, restrooms, food prep areas, electric, water and mechanical systems were added to the museum. The project location presented a bit of a challenge. The only access point to the site is by a bridge as the museum is situated on an island surrounded by a moat.

Key architectural features include four pools on the main floor, terrazzo flooring and two spiral staircases that were to remain untouched while applying new plaster and paint to the pyramid shaped dome above. The exterior façade received a new coating of acrylic polymer plaster, a standing seam roof on the dome and a fully adhered EPDM roof. Unique components include the replacement of four diamond shaped skylights in the dome as well as a ring of precast around the upper edge of the building exterior featuring 305 3’x3’ panels bearing the Stuhr trademark.