Museum to reopen after flood damage

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) - Heavy flooding in the Newport News area this weekend forced the Virginia Living Museum to close for the second time this summer.

Volunteers gathered Monday afternoon to help clean up the museum. Flooding caused enough damage for museum officials to take out a $50,000 deductible.

The museum is accepting donations here .

Caroline Schuyler told WAVY.com she saw pictures of the damage on Facebook and brought her two children along to help.

"[My daughter saw] the picture of the doors with the water flowing [inside]," Shuyler said. "She was convinced it was a pool, and I had to keep explaining to her it wasn't."

Saturday's rain flooded the entire first floor of the museum. Monday, the carpet was torn out along with several feet of drywall. The museum's executive director Page Hayhurst told WAVY.com flooding has caused damage to the museum twice in the past three months.

"We actually started looking with [the College of] William and Mary to determine some of the causes and the city storm  water folks as well," Hayhurst said.

A city spokesperson told WAVY.com there is not much the museum could have done to prevent the damage. It is estimated that 12 inches of rain fell in a few hours, which overflowed a two-and-a-half foot flood gate at the museum's entrance.

According to the museum's marketing manager, the damage was the worst flooding the museum has experienced in its 45-year history.

The museum is set to partially reopen Tuesday, Aug. 28 and tickets will be $5 off regular price.