LYNN — The Grand Army of the Republic Hall and Museum of Lynn (GAR) on Andrew Street has been upgraded with improved accessibility, including an elevator, three new accessible bathrooms, and a new entrance with a ramp and wheelchair lift.
Construction at the GAR has been underway since April 2024, made possible through funding allocated by the board from COVID-19 relief funds.
The updates were necessary due to steep stairs being the only way to move through the building and the presence of outdated bathrooms, prompting the organization to prioritize a much-needed upgrade.
The GAR Board of Trustees plans to host a community gathering to mark this important milestone with the city. While the museum is not completely reopening at this time, the event will highlight and celebrate the building’s recent renovations.
“They’ve been trying to get an elevator in here since the 70s,” Wendy Joseph, curator of the GAR museum, said.
The construction was essential not only for improving accessibility and allowing them to share the magic of the museum with many more people, but also for giving GAR the opportunity to continue its long-term upkeep.
“Because we weren’t ADA compliant, we never could even apply for federal grants,” Joseph stated.
Becoming compliant has positioned the GAR to apply for future grants, potentially allowing more renovations within the building. While necessary, the construction and new ADA standards — like cabinet height and spacing regulations — have unfortunately required many of the historic exhibits to be moved.
Although they plan to keep every room open, the ultimate goal of the event is not to simply celebrate and be thankful for the ADA improvements, but to show the next obstacle. Currently, many of the historic pieces are in crowded rooms with no legitimate place to be set.
“We’ll make all that stuff in the middle tighter, but it will be basically just a race way around it to show people…” Joseph stated. “We are not able to show the grand hall that it’s supposed to be because of the storage issue.”
With Lynn native and City of Lynn Personnel Director Drew Russo serving as master of ceremonies, both GAR doors will open at 9 a.m. on March 24, with the milestone event beginning at 10 a.m.
“It’s open to all. We’re working with the mayor’s office to get word out. We want people from city hall and around the city,” Joseph noted. “We want policemen, firemen, and everyone to take a look.”
