Updates & Expansion Plans
How we got here
After 50 years of serving Bonner County and preserving its artifacts and stories, the Bonner County History Museum is at capacity in its archives and collection storage spaces. We also have urgent maintenance needs to address; most critically, a new roof.
After conducting a collections and facility assessment in 2023, we partnered with North Root Architecture in spring 2025 to develop a plan for future facility upgrades and a potential building expansion, resulting in a conceptual rendering (below) to illustrate the additional space needed.
In 2025, we were fortunate to receive a $1,000,000 gift from an anonymous donor to support this project, making a potential expansion feasible with support from the community and the City of Sandpoint.
Because the Museum sits on public property in Lakeview Park, the project will go through multiple rounds of approvals with the City of Sandpoint before any expansion occurs.
Progress Update- Fall ‘26
The Museum’s roof was updated in July 2026 with support from Bonner County and the Bill Jacky Estate. We replaced the top membrane and composite shingles, replaced all screws in the sheet metal, and created a safe interior access hatch to the roof.
BCHS has completed lease negotiations with the City of Sandpoint. The 1979 lease was renewed by Sandpoint City Council on September 2, 2026. This renewal term expires September 30, 1965, and is renewable into the future in like 40-year terms.
We plan to remain at our current facility in Lakeview Park and build an addition onto the existing building. We are currently in the process of refining the conceptual design with North Root Architecture and are beginning preliminary meetings with the City’s building department.
We plan to break ground in summer 2027.
BCHS is committed to remaining a cultural anchor and good neighbor within the Sandpoint parks system.
What we’re proposing
Our Facilities Team has identified several key priorities for the Museum facility:
Replace the roof of the existing facility and tie design elements into new build.
Create a multi-use space dedicated to educational programming for adults and youth.
Expand collections storage by at least 50%, eliminating the need for offsite storage.
Improve environmental controls within the collections space to ensure long-term preservation.
Create thoughtful spaces for collections management work to flow with ease.
Incorporate an accessible, welcoming entry area and hallways through the facility.
How will it work?
In order to both provide adequate new space for the desired growth of the building and to maintain future flexibility due to unknowns about land lease terms with regard to the Lakeview property, we are proposing a phased building approach, where:
Phase 1 would result in a new build of approximately ~2,100-2,600 SF adjacent to the existing building and providing space for primarily public programming functionality such as classrooms and community space. That range is based upon potentially including a mezzanine.
Phase 2 would remodel the existing structure to better accommodate the collections, accessions and volunteer research spaces.
Your Input is Needed!
Please share your feedback with us by filling out the form below:
Let us know what you think.
We’re shaping the future of your museum — a place to gather, learn, and celebrate the stories of Bonner County. Your input will help refine our design and ensure this expansion truly serves our community for generations to come.