Officials at the It’s a Wonderful Life Museum in Seneca Falls have raised $1,012,000 toward the expansion of the museum at 32 Fall St. The museum is temporarily relocated to the old National Women’s Hall of Fame at 76 Fall Street while work on the original museum expansion project continues.
Museum officials say the expansion will enable them to utilize the full space of their building at 32 Fall Street, which was built in 1913 by Charles Fornesi as the first movie theater in Seneca Falls and held up to 467 people.
The Renovation and Expansion will:
* Recreate the façade of the historic building to regain the look of the original theater;
* Add a 47-seat theater;
* Re-create selected sets from the film, including Gower’s Drugstore, Mr. Potter’s Office, the Bailey Living Room, and the Staircase with the knob you can lift off the post in either despair or exhilaration.
* Create innovative, interactive exhibits that provide the opportunity to reflect on the message of It’s a Wonderful Life. These will include an anti-bullying exhibit in Mr. Potter’s Office and a laundry basket by the Bridge where you can take a “Zuzu’s petal” (a symbol of hope) with you or make one to leave for someone else.
* Update original exhibits with new lighting and technology.
Officials say the goal is to have the Museum ready by December 2026 for the worldwide celebration of the 80th Anniversary of “The Most Inspiring Film of All Time”.
The “It’s A Wonderful Life” festival starts Friday and runs through Sunday in Seneca Falls.
