GWWO Architects has completed a year-long, $6.2-million project to expand and reposition the Manassas Museum, which showcases the rich history of Manassas and the northern Virginia region.
Project Name: Manassas Museum as a true Community hub
Studio Name: GWWO Architects
By embracing the existing structure and historic context while reorienting the building towards the city center and opening it to the public, GWWO’s renovation and addition have transformed the museum – which began as a collection of artifacts donated by local residents – into a true community institution, and helped to increase attendance by 85% and tour requests eightfold since the project began.
“The essence of a museum lies not only in its collections, but in its ability to engage and welcome the public it serves,” says Terry Squyres, Principal at GWWO. “Our primary goal for this project was to strengthen the connection between the museum and the City of Manassas by creating spaces that invite interaction, inspire curiosity, and foster community. This museum is a critical civic icon for the city, and we are so honored to be a part of its future.”
Initially planned as a temporary exhibit to celebrate the city’s centennial, the Manassas Museum first opened in 1974, and relocated to its current facility – located within Baldwin Park, the city’s main green space, in Historic Downtown Manassas – in 1991. Originally designed by Carlton Abbott, the building has a “fort-like form” that pays homage to the city’s agricultural and military past. In 2020, the City of Manassas worked with the community to develop the city’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan, a large component of which centered on enhancing community spaces. To help achieve this goal, the city sought to renovate the Manassas Museum to provide space for new community programs, offer opportunities for more frequently changing exhibits, and be a distinguishable feature of the community. The Baltimore-based firm’s renovation and expansion honor this history while furthering the museum’s journey of growth and role as a critical community institution.
Prominently located in the Historic Downtown, the museum provides space for education, conversation, and connection that instill regional pride. GWWO’s design solution transforms the relationship between the museum and the community by removing an existing, isolating courtyard wall that previously separated the building from the park, and by reorienting the building’s main entrance towards the city center. The new main entrance is sited on an axis with Battle Street, the city’s main thoroughfare, and accessible ramps integrated into both the building and the outdoor amphitheater provide a seamless transition from the entrance to the park. The museum’s indoor and outdoor spaces now activate each other, and create an open, inviting entry sequence that welcomes visitors arriving from downtown.
“The transformation of this building that GWWO has led creates a civic icon worthy of this city and will allow us to tell the story of Manassas more wholly for generations to come,” says Mayor Michelle Davis-Younger.
The 4,628-square-foot addition – which includes a new special-exhibit hall, offices, and support space – elevates the museum’s presence, responding to its role as a significant piece of civic architecture while maintaining the scale of the historic core and preserving the view of the building’s iconic copper cupola from the Historic Downtown. Visible from the nearby train station, the expansion attracts new visitors to learn about the story of Manassas, and provides opportunities to educate, unite, and grow the community.
