The Columbia River Maritime Museum is moving forward on a $30 million expansion of its campus that would feature a second exhibit hall.

The new, two-story, 26,000-square-foot building is proposed between the museum and the Barbey Maritime Center off Marine Drive. Museum leaders believe the addition would help tie together the campus, which also includes the Warnock Commons and Model Boat Pond, an educational resource and community open space.

The project, which was approved by the museum’s board on Monday, is being launched with the help of $15.1 million from three donors.

Terry Graff, trustee of the James Harding Living Trust who serves as a museum trustee, donated $10 million, the largest gift in the museum’s 61-year history.

Dr. Gerald Warnock, another museum trustee, donated $5 million. Museum trustee George Beall committed $100,000.

“We are absolutely overwhelmed with Mr. Graff’s and Dr. Warnock’s and Mr. Beall’s generosity,” Michael Haglund, the museum’s chairman, said in a statement. “These tremendous gifts propel us forward in achieving our vision of being a truly world-class maritime museum.”

The new addition, which will bear Warnock’s name, will display dozens of historic boats and thousands of other artifacts in storage.

The new space could showcase vessels like the 1938 wooden yacht Merrimac built by Astoria Marine Construction Co., as well as fishing vessels built by Astoria’s Wilson Brothers and Bumble Bee shipyards.

Museum leaders also plan to display a 60-foot racing shell built by famed boatbuilder George Pocock; a first-order Fresnel lens; the soon to be retired U.S. Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin search and rescue helicopter; as well as the 52-foot motor lifeboat Triumph II, which saved and assisted local fishermen from Point Adams and Cape Disappointment for 60 years until 2021.

“The new exhibits will greatly add to our storytelling,” Bruce Jones, the museum’s deputy director, said.

The new building would also include a classroom and science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics space, which Jones said can help inspire young people to pursue careers in maritime fields and understand the importance of maritime industries to local communities, the economy and nation.

The project also includes modifications to the existing building, wayfinding, landscaping and outdoor displays.

The museum has hired Astoria-based Rickenbach Construction as the general contractor for the project, along with Portland-based Opsis Architecture and Storyline Studio, an exhibit designer based in Bothell, Washington, to develop a plan for the expanded campus.

Design concepts include a covered walkway from the museum to the new exhibit hall, which would be built over the parking lot.

Parking would be expanded between the addition and the Barbey Maritime Center. The museum also plans to add parking spaces on the museum’s property immediately east of the Barbey Maritime Center.

Museum leaders have expressed interest to the city about including a neighboring city property in the expansion to support the Riverfront Vision Plan’s goal of a riverfront park or open space.

A local group behind an effort to bring the Jantzen Beach carousel to Astoria has also expressed interest in the city-owned property, which is located behind City Lumber.

The group, however, has shared little information publicly about potential plans. Jones expressed concern about a high-traffic venue like the carousel on the property given the ingress and egress to the lot.

Jones said the museum had nearly 104,000 visitors last year and reached nearly 9,700 students through its educational program in schools.

If additional fundraising is successful, the museum hopes to begin site work in September 2024 and open doors to the new building by the summer of 2026.

“This project brings our founder Rolf Klep’s vision to fruition,” Jeff Smith, the museum’s curator, said in a statement. “It is a continuation of a long journey we have been on for over six decades.”