vcintent

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New Visitors Center - The intent

GETTYSBURG NATIONAL BATTLEFIELD MUSEUM FOUNDATION

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

Purpose

1. To provide adequate museum standard space for the proper and permanent protection, preservation and storage of park archives, library and artifact collections, to include sufficient space to allow access and study of all collection by those individuals with a scholarly interest in the information contained within those resources.

2. To provide adequate facilities for the long term preservation and display of the Cyclorama Painting, "The High Tide Of The Confederacy".

3. To provide high quality interpretive and educational opportunities for park visitors that will enable them to understand the Gettysburg Campaign within the broad context of the Civil War and American history, and its continuing legacy and meaning to the American people.

4. To rehabilitate the historic appearance and setting of Ziegler's Grove and the high water mark of the battle by removing the existing visitor center and Cyclorama building and their associated entry roads and parking, by restoring the historic landscapes.

5. To create a people-friendly, flexible and sustainable gateway facility which will combine the best of traditional, multi-media and personal interpretive and educational presentations.

6. To design facilities that respect their location and the historic vernacular building tradition of the area; respond sympathetically, to the natural landscape features of the site; and become a positive catalyst for preservation and a lever for sensitive development of surrounding areas.

7. To develop structures and provide services which are fitting and appropriate to the mission and educational purposes of the Park, and which create meaningful, appropriate and integrated opportunities for visitors to explore the events which took place in Gettysburg in 1863.

8. To ensure that the facilities are responsibly planned, operated, maintained and managed to deliver quality facilities and services for visitors while preserving park resources, and generating revenues necessary to support the Complex.

General Responsibilities- Foundation

1. Provide the financing for the proposed facilities through fund-raising and borrowing, as appropriate.

2. Purchase or otherwise obtain control of the site of the proposed facilities.

3. In accordance with plans and specifications approved by NPS, construct the facilities agreed upon in the cooperative agreement and remove the existing facilities and rehabilitate Ziegler's Grove.

4. Manage the facilities in cooperation with NPS in the manner to be described in the cooperative agreement, including making available to NPS as appropriate areas of the facilities for the conduct of activities it will undertake under the terms of the cooperative agreement.

5. Donate the facilities to NPS at an appropriate time to be described in the cooperative agreement, subject to NPS acceptance of the donation when offered.

Specific Terms And Conditions- Foundation

1. Prior to engaging in any fund-raising activities on behalf of the Park or the NPS, the Foundation and NPS will have agreed upon the Foundation's fund-raising plan in accordance with NPS fund-raising policies.

2. The Foundation will develop in cooperation with the National Park Service a design/construction budget and schedule for development of the new complex, removal of existing facilities and relocation of government property, which shall be subject to the review and approval of the NPS.

3. The Foundation in cooperation with the NPS will develop a complete set of exhibit design, fabrication, and installation plans for the museum portion of the facilities, to include the selection, conservation, and installation of artifacts to be used in the museum exhibits, which shall be subject to the review and approval of the NPS.

5. The Foundation will enter into an exhibit contract with a firm to be selected by the Foundation, subject to the review and approval of the NPS, for the conservation of selected artifacts and fabrication and installation of exhibits in the museum portion of the facilities.

6. The Foundation, in cooperation with the NPS, will select a manager or managers to oversee the facilities. The Foundation with the selected manager will develop an annual Operations and Maintenance Plan for the facilities, for the performance of all building programs and operations, building maintenance, building repair and custodial care, which shall be subject to the annual review and approval of the NPS.

General Responsibilities- National Park Service

1. Consult and work cooperatively with the Foundation, contractors, and consultants of the Foundation to facilitate the fund-raising, design, construction, operation, and maintenance of the facilities, and to provide technical assistance and general guidance regarding the design of the facilities, the development of operational plans, the relationships of the facilities to the operations of the Park, and other issues relating to its use.

2. Provide appropriate technical assistance to ensure compliance with federal stewardship responsibilities, to include planning documents and natural and cultural resources surveys and clearances.

3. Provide the Foundation with plans, drawings and specifications for the restoration of the historic landscapes of Ziegler's Grove that are within an agreed upon budget.

4. Enter into an agreement with the Foundation for the long-term use of NPS-occupied portions of the facilities upon terms and conditions acceptable to the Foundation and the NPS.

Further Conditions

1. The museum collections and other government property will remain the property of the United States and, therefore, may not be pledged as security or be subject to a lien of any kind.

2. The facilities may be subject to a mortgage with terms reasonably acceptable to its lender, but shall not be subject to foreclosure adverse to the interests of the NPS. In addition, the facilities may not be used by the Foundation by persons or for purposes not approved by the NPS.

3. NPS will not guarantee or otherwise insure any investments made by the FOundation with respect to the facilities. All obligations of the NPS under the cooperative agreement will be subject to the availability of appropriated funds. No increase in NPS appropriated funds shall be anticipated for purposes of construction, operation, or maintenance of the facilities. The Foundation shall indemnify and save and hold harmless the United States with respect to the Foundation's activities under the cooperative agreement.

4. The Foundation's activities undertaken at the facilities or related to the facilities are subject to NPS approval, to include the selection of partners and/or tenants. Such approval shall not be unreasonably withheld.

5. The NPS shall exercise rate approval authority for any activities occurring within park boundaries.

6. The design and construction of the facilities, and any future modifications or alterations, shall be subject to the prior written approval of the NPS, including building, infrastructure, landscape, and exhibit design and construction.

7. The cooperative agreement will contain appropriate provisions protecting the interests of NPS and allowing it to consider whether to approve proposed sales, assignments, or encumbrances of the facilities and/or the rights of the Foundation under the cooperative agreement.

8. The cooperative agreement is to contain all required affirmative action clauses and commit the Foundation and NPS to their timely and effective implementation.

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