Funding To Help Buy, Install HVAC System At Hicksville Museum

HICKSVILLE, NY — The Nassau County Legislature has approved funding to buy, upgrade and install a heating, ventilation and air conditioning system at the Hicksville Gregory Museum, Legislator Rose Marie Walker said Tuesday.

Walker had requested money for the project through the Community Revitalization Project, which is used to help municipalities, fire departments, museums and schools.

"I am happy to help the Hicksville Gregory Museum upgrade their HVAC systems," Walker said in a statement. "This new heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system will allow for more than just public use of the museum, but also will help in preserving the one-of-a-kind history the Gregory museum contains. Historic artifacts and documents need a climate-controlled environment to maintain integrity, and this CRP funding provides that."

The museum, also known as the Long Island Earth Science Center, was founded in the Cottage Boulevard home of Anne and Gardiner Gregory, according to the museum's website. It has been in its current home, the Heitz Place Courthouse, for about four decades. The structure is on the National Register of Historic Places and home to Long Island's largest mineral collection. It also has exhibits for butterflies and fossils.

The museum, which closed indefinitely March 15 due to the coronavirus, was raising money through a GoFundMe crowdfunding campaign for renovations.

"Want to join me in making a difference? I'm raising money to benefit Hicksville Gregory Museum, and any donation will help make an impact," organizer Scott Schneider wrote. "Thanks in advance for your contribution to this cause that means so much to me."

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