Farmington Museum Plans 5,000-Square-Foot Exhibit for 125th Anniversary

City leaders and museum officials are moving forward with plans for a large-scale permanent exhibit to commemorate Farmington’s 125th anniversary in 2026. The Story of Farmington will occupy the entire 5,000-square-foot Dallas Hall at the Farmington Museum and is being designed by New York firm Reich & Petch. Project leaders presented progress to the Farmington City Council, underscoring a community-driven approach to content and interpretation.

“We have been working away since May on Phase 1,” said Peter Lam, a senior exhibition designer, project manager and licensed architect with Reich & Petch. Lam told the council that his team visited area residents to “define” the project, and the design process included in-depth conversations with museum staff, Visit Farmington personnel, at least 10 local historians and more than 140 adults and youths. Those engagement figures indicate the exhibit’s emphasis on representing a range of local voices and experiences.

The museum exhibit is being positioned as a long-term installation that not only chronicles Farmington’s past but also reinforces the Farmington Museum’s status as a cultural anchor for San Juan County. For a county where cultural amenities are limited relative to larger regional centers, a professionally designed, permanent gallery can translate into measurable economic effects: increased museum attendance, longer visitor stays, and more foot traffic for downtown retailers and restaurants. While specific attendance projections and funding details have not been released, the council presentation signals municipal interest in leveraging the anniversary to boost tourism and downtown activity.

The choice of an external design firm reflects a push to professionalize interpretation and exhibit facilities. A larger, permanent exhibit can extend the museum’s programming window, support school visits, and provide year-round draw for residents and visitors. Community engagement numbers used in design work suggest that exhibit planners are seeking to balance historical scholarship with local narratives, a combination that can improve relevance and repeat visitation.

With Phase 1 work underway and broad local input already collected, the exhibit’s development remains a near-term priority for the city as it prepares anniversary programming. For residents and local businesses, The Story of Farmington presents an opportunity to shape how the city’s past is told and to capture some of the longer-term economic benefits that sustained cultural investment can produce.