Museum gets green light

So far the Northern California Natural History Museum has functioned mainly as a “Museum Without Walls,” but now that the California State University Board of Trustees has approved its building plan, it can start putting up real walls.

According to a press release, the trustees approved the plans for the museum at their Nov. 14 meeting. “We’re incredibly excited that we’ll be able to do so much more when we have this building,” said Greg Liggett, executive director of the museum.

The museum will be sited on Chico State land—currently a playing field—adjacent to Bidwell Mansion and will be built to LEED green-building standards.

There is some opposition to the location of the museum, especially from residents of Mansion Park, the adjacent neighborhood. They are concerned about, among other things, the projected 100,000 visitors annually and the traffic impacts they will have on The Esplanade.