NEGAUNEE, Mich. (WZMQ) – The Michigan Iron Industry Museum has announced the ‘indefinite closure’ of its facility, following a number of infrastructure concerns this winter.
Initially on February 21, cracking was noticed within the main gallery’s ceiling trusses. With help from Colleur Construction and WR Construction LLC, the building was closed to allow for the four to six feet of snow removal on the roof. This week, more snow was removed from the recent blizzard.
Staff says the building will remain closed until all of these damages can be repaired, while artifacts are safely relocated.
“We are going to get a temporary fix on those tresses likely next week. That way we’ll be able to get in and get our artifacts out, awaiting a longer term solution,” explained MIIM Historian, Troy Henderson. “That may involve more engineering or a whole roof replacement, we just don’t have all of that information at this time.”
The Michigan DNR is actively managing the museum’s emergency response towards the damages.
