PATTEN – The Patten Lumbermen’s Museum announced the receipt of a challenge grant of $250,000 from the Maine Community Foundation.

The grant is to be used as endowment, the income from which will be used to fund the needs of the museum. The terms of the challenge are that the museum erect a year-round, reception center building and match the endowment fund of $250,000.

Sketches of the reception center will be presented to the board in March.

The center will house office space for the staff, a meeting and classroom area, a gift shop, limited display area for artifacts and climate-controlled areas for storage of sensitive documents.