After a 13-month closure, the historic Reading Area Fire Museum building has reopened with new upgrades

By Michelle Lynch
Reading Eagle

READING, Pa. — The Reading Area Fire Museum has reopened after being closed more than a year for renovations.

Located in the former Liberty Fire Company building at 501 S. Fifth St., the nonprofit museum preserves and displays artifacts that tell the story of firefighting in Reading and surrounding communities.

The city, which owns the building, invested $1,007,069 in the project through its American Rescue Plan Act, or ARPA, funds, according to David W. Anspach III, city capital project manager.

The upgrades included a new fire alarm panel and accessories, new HVAC and electrical systems, and structural engineering for the stair tower and elevator.

The city’s Public Works Department provided some of the labor and materials, Anspach said.

Richard Boyer, a former city fire chief who helped guide planning for the project, said he was relieved to see the museum reopen.

“We were closed 13 months,” Boyer said. “It affects us in several ways, not only financially, but in keeping the interest of members and volunteers. When you have volunteers, you’ve got to keep them active.”

Boyer said he and museum volunteer William Rehr, also a former city fire chief, worked with Burkey Construction on a capital project list in 2017. Of the seven identified improvement needs, only two — the HVAC system and electrical upgrades — have been completed so far, he said.

“The HVAC was a big one,” Boyer said, noting it cost more than $800,000.

Plans are moving forward for additional improvements, he said.

With remaining funds, the city awarded a contract for preliminary engineering work for a new stair tower and elevator shaft on the building’s east end. Those features will eventually provide greater accessibility and safety for visitors, he noted.

Although much of the available COVID-era funding has been spent, Boyer said the museum is hopeful future support can help complete the remaining projects.

“It’s progress,” he said. “We were able to reopen and get people interested again.”

The reopening celebration earlier this month drew about 40 visitors, Boyer estimated.

The museum is open Thursdays from 9 a.m. to noon and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Hours and updates are posted on the Reading Area Fire Museum website and Facebook page.

Donations can be made through the museum’s website or in person during open hours.

“We’d love to have donations,” Boyer said. “Every bit helps us preserve this history for future generations.”

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