Space Museum Floods

Flooding—even if it is not raining—can happen to any business at any time. Pipes burst, fire hydrants get run into, a faucet is left on, etc.

The Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center flooded today after a pipe at nearby Hutchinson Community College burst in its science building overnight. The water leaked into the space museum’s lower levels, leaving up to 10 inches of standing water.

Major artifacts within the museum were not damaged, but the same cannot be said for the wallboards, carpets, and cabinets that held exhibits. The “Hall of Space” will remain partially closed while clean-up is underway. President of the museum, Chris Orwoll, wordily stated: “The biggest thing for us, being a repository of some of the nation's most precious artifacts is making sure that those are safe and that there’s no damage to those.” Recovery crews have already begun work to remove the water from the museum and dry out wet items. The extent of damages is not yet known. Addressing the flooding quickly, as the Cosmosphere staff did, will assist in continuity so the public can view the displays affected soon and the extent of the damage will be minimal.

Disaster recovery services can help restore priceless artifacts and water-damaged documents. They can also ensure that the building and items affected by the flooding do not grow mold.

More on professional disaster recovery services and museum restoration.