History Jackson Hole is the reimagined home of the Jackson Hole Historical Society & Museum. Considering the millennia of history the area has witnessed, the project had a lot of ground to cover: it needed to showcase HJH’s collection of over 35,000 artifacts, provide space for sharing nuanced narratives, serve as an attractive cultural destination for international and national visitors, and still prioritize the local community by facilitating on-site gatherings and conversations.

Prospect worked hand in hand with HGA, as well as the Jackson community, to create a campus that achieved these diverse goals within a limited downtown footprint. The quarter-acre site now comprises a new, 13,200-square-foot museum and two historic cabins connected by an outdoor space, all designed with consideration to existing, mature trees. Elsewhere, drought-resistant native plants limit irrigation needs and minimize water use. For the structures, using simple materials like timber columns and wood siding, rather than typical building materials, lowered the project’s carbon footprint, while thick insulation, VRF mechanical systems, and triple-pane windows will help increase its energy efficiency.

Today, the campus is a visual celebration of local history, materiality, and design. In this way, it mirrors and strengthens HJH’s mission. By using space to root the community in a singular sense of place, it makes use of the past to move the conversation forward on how to best care for Jackson’s future.