{"id":339551,"date":"2026-07-14T12:59:10","date_gmt":"2026-07-14T12:59:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/339551\/"},"modified":"2026-07-14T12:59:10","modified_gmt":"2026-07-14T12:59:10","slug":"the-woodson-museum-celebrates-grand-reopening-after-1-million-renovation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/339551\/","title":{"rendered":"The Woodson Museum celebrates grand reopening after $1 million renovation"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a><\/p>\n

The Woodson Museum in St. Petersburg has officially reopened its doors following a significant six-month, $1 million renovation project. This milestone marks a renewed vision for the institution as it continues sharing cultural history.<\/p>\n

The museum now features several new exhibits that bridge the gap between historical narratives and contemporary life, starting with bright new signage at the entrance that welcomes visitors.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"\"\"<\/p>\n

The expanded galleries include comprehensive exhibits covering African American history from the 1600s to 1850, as well as modern exhibits detailing the journey from the 1900s to the present day. These displays highlight many different local and national figures within the Black community, showing a rich tapestry of stories.<\/p>\n

Big voices from the community<\/p>\n

The reopening event was marked by an eager atmosphere, with many guest speakers on hand who were excited to share their thoughts on this significant milestone for the museum and the community.<\/p>\n

During the celebration, Ken Welch, Mayor of St. Pete, highlighted the importance of the moment:<\/p>\n

\u201cAs we celebrate that milestone, challenge ourselves to tell the whole story of our nation\u2019s founding ideals, as well as the voices, struggles, triumphs and contributions that have helped shape America across generations,\u201d he said. \u201cWe still aspire to be that more perfect union and that work continues\u2026 we believe in the power of truth and share history as we move forward.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cThe lessons history has taught us about our past, it\u2019s been said that history is the present reconciling the past in pursuit of a more informed future,\u201d said Kanika Tomalin, Executive Director of the Healthy Foundation of St. Pete.<\/p>\n

During the reopening speeches, Terri Scott, Executive Director of the Woodson Museum, emphasized the museum\u2019s role in the city\u2019s redevelopment and its essential function as a community pillar. <\/p>\n

\u201cAmerican history remains central to the future of Saint Petersburg,\u201d she said. \u201cYour belief that the Woodson should stand as a cornerstone of the Historic Gas Plant District redevelopment affirms that preserving our history is essential to building our future.\u201d<\/p>\n

Scott further elaborated that the museum is a dynamic space where the past informs the future, ensuring that the legacy of the African American experience is woven into the very fabric of the city\u2019s growth.<\/p>\n

The reopening also served as a solemn occasion to honor the legacy of Ginger Barber, the original executive of the Woodson Museum. Barber, who passed away shortly after the museum\u2019s initial opening, was instrumental in its founding. Her dedication to preservation laid the groundwork for this new chapter, and her spirit continues to inspire the institution\u2019s mission today.<\/p>\n

Check out the Woodson Museum in all of its beauty at\u00a02240 9th Avenue South in St. Pete. Learn more on their website.<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"\"\"<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Woodson Museum in St. Petersburg has officially reopened its doors following a significant six-month, $1 million renovation…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":339552,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[202,204,203,199,201,200],"class_list":["post-339551","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-st-petersburg","tag-st-pete","tag-st-pete-headlines","tag-st-pete-news","tag-st-petersburg","tag-st-petersburg-headlines","tag-st-petersburg-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/339551","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=339551"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/339551\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/339552"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=339551"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=339551"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=339551"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}