ASHLAND — The Highlands Museum and Discovery Center will soon be more handicap accessible thanks to two grants it recently received.
A $500,000 grant from the Commonwealth of Kentucky, as well as a $125,000 matching grant from the Woodlands Foundation, was awarded to the museum, and will be used toward adding handicap accessible doors to the museum and making the museum restrooms handicap accessible as well as adding more handicap accessible restrooms to the facility. The elevator currently in use will be made handicap accessible and a historical elevator, that has been shut off for a number of years, will be made to working condition as well.
“We applied for the grants about two years ago,” Emily Roush, education and marketing director of the museum, said. “Within the last month, we’ve started construction. We’ve been closed the past two weeks, but we opened back up on Saturday.”
Although the museum is open, construction is still taking place and will continue for several weeks, resulting in limited restroom availability, loud noises and some dust throughout the museum.
Roush said the museum apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause to the community.
Updates related to the construction and operating hours will be posted on the museum’s website, www.highlandsmuseum.com, as well as the Highlands Museum and Discovery Center Facebook page and other social media pages.
People are also welcome to contact the museum directly at 606-329-8888 with any questions.