July came in with a breeze, sunshine and an opportunity for families to spend some quality time together. There are, of course, many options in West Virginia. Outdoor activities are unlimited in every part of our beautiful state; however, this year we have a brand new opportunity, which has instantly become one of our finest treasures.

I am speaking of our newly christened West Virginia State Museum in the beautiful Culture and History Center, located on the state Capitol grounds. For lifelong residents, you will remember a state museum in the basement of the center for many years, which was closed about seven years ago as it was in one word, obsolete. Through the ensuing years, financial issues and changes in administration delayed completion of this important project.

For Gov. Joe Manchin, completing the museum became a goal and a focus, and under the direction of Secretary of Education and the Arts Kay Goodwin and the Commissioner of Culture and History Randall Reid-Smith, the long-anticipated museum became a reality. It, without a doubt, not only surpasses any other state museum, it is comparable to any museum in this country. In addition, our museum is FREE every day for everyone.

The central theme for this museum is around the people, the land and the culture from its prehistoric past, to the multifaceted present, to its exciting future. More than 6,000 artifacts, representing every region in our state, are on display, which is about one-tenth of the more than 60,000 artifacts in the division's Collections Section.

Along the exhibit path, there are re-creations of pivotal events, special people and historic places from the state's past. Through first-person accounts, visitors hear the stories of West Virginia history. Visitors who follow the show path from prehistory to the 21st century will spend approximately 45 minutes to an hour in the museum. However, those who take time to enjoy the discovery rooms will spend from one to two hours in the museum. If an individual reads every display and watches every documentary in the museum, the tour would take 26 hours!

One visit or even two visits will not be enough. The museum is developed so the displays captivate, excite and educate our youngest visitors to our most senior citizens. Furthermore, this museum is designed to respect the special needs of all of our visitors. Escalators and an elevator are available to enter and exit the museum; services are available to ensure accessibility and communications such as assistive listening devices and transcripts of the audio program in the museum. Mobility devices are also available, all free of charge, at the Guest Services Desk.

As you plan your outings this summer, please include as one of your destinations this historic panorama of West Virginia's history, grandeur and pride in who we are as a land, a people and a culture. We know it will not be your only visit!

Gayle Manchin is the wife of Gov. Joe Manchin of West Virginia.

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