MACON, Ga. — With the the Museum of Arts and Sciences' new Shurling Pavilion now finished, they're now looking forward to adding three more new projects to their 18 acres.
Jim Thomas, executive director of Macon-Bibb Planning and Zoning, says the commission approved the construction of an 1,100 square foot cave for bats from across the world, an amphitheater for live animal shows, and five cages to display reptiles and other animals.
He says this is just one step along the way, contractors will still need approval from the water authority, county engineer, and animal control. "Once they've cleared through those agencies, the zoning office will issue the zoning permit," Thomas says.
Kelley Robinson lives on West Ridge Circle, right next to the museum. She enjoys bringing her two kids and dogs to the museum regularly. "We live right here, so we're able to just walk them up the circle and take them along the nature trail and bring them on back. They enjoy it and it gets them out of the house." And their trips to the museum have created a new dream job for her daughter. "My daughter wants to be an astrophysicist, so we go to the star shows."
The commission also approved landscaping upgrades to the museum's trees and walkways. The museum says construction should be done by the end of the year. All of the funding for this expansion comes from private donors.