Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art has completed the first phase of their bat mitigation project with the attic cleanup.

Work on the project began in late September.

Earlier this year, the museum was awarded $300,979 in a Montana Department of Commerce Montana Historic Preservation Grant toward the rehabilitation, ethical bat mitigation and cleanup of the historic attic space and repainting 154 exterior windows.

Dayspring Restoration worked for more than three weeks to remove contaminated objects, clean and sanitize objects the museum is keeping, and cleaned the wood structures, duct work, stone walls, and floors, according to the museum.

Attic project continuing at The Square

The company then replaced and organized all items the museum is keeping in specific, planned spaces in the attic, according to the museum.

“The space is fresh and clean, and we now can see areas of the attic that we have never set eyes on before because of the piles of objects that we do not need. Many of you will be pleased to know that we donated loads and loads of furniture and so much more to both the Salvation Army and the Habitat for Humanity ReStore,” according to the museum.

Local projects receive historic preservation grants

The next step of the program includes bat mitigators from High Country Wildlife Control who will work on the exclusion process early in the spring before the bats return, according to the museum.