North Carolina lost-ship museum gets rolling

HATTERAS, N.C.

Completion of the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum is finally on the horizon, more than 10 years after ground for the facility was first broken.

Work on the 5,162-square-foot exhibit gallery will start by month's end, North Carolina Maritime Museums Director Joseph Schwarzer said Wednesday. At the same time, he said, a Raleigh-based architecture firm will begin designing the exhibits.

"This is a watershed moment, and it's a pivotal step in the development of the museum," Schwarzer said.

The museum will interpret the 400-year maritime history of the Outer Banks, where more than 2,000 ships were lost to storms, wars and pirates. A key exhibit will highlight the sinking of the ironclad Monitor off Hatteras in 1862.

Near the ferry docks, the unfinished museum opened in 2003 and even with limited exhibits has proved to be popular. By the end of this year, Schwarzer said, it's likely that more than 50,000 people will have visited the free attraction.

Contractor McKenzie Construction Corp. of Elizabeth City is expected to complete $287,917 worth of work in the gallery in November, he said. Work will include installation of heating and air conditioning and electrical wiring.

Exhibit design and installation will take about two years, Schwarzer said. He said the estimated $2.5 million to $3 million must still be raised.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation provided $375,000 toward the design phase.

NOAA is partnering with the state Division of Cultural Resources on the project, according to a division news release.

Catherine Kozak, (252) 441-1711, cate.kozak@pilotonline.com