On Sunday May 4, the Borscht Belt opened its doors for the season, and this time, they will not be closing for winter.

The grand opening of the museum’s third season had over 50 people in attendance, with baked goods from Cohen’s Bakery and a performance from Madárka. The band, whose name means “Little Bird” in Hungarian, played traditional Eastern European music with a modern twist.

Previously, the museum has closed for the winter months due to a lack of a heating and cooling system. Now, thanks to the support of private donors and grants, the museum is becoming year-round, while also expanding and create a new space for curated work.

Through Borscht Belt Museum’s most recent off-season closure, they began renovations to winterize the museum. Andrew Jacobs, president of the museum, explained how he wants the museum to contribute to Ellenville’s economic activity and tourism.

“We want to be able to provide programming to people year-round, because in the winter, people still live here,” said Jacobs. “I also want to sort of help boost Ellenville's economic activity during the off-season, because people come to the museum, and then maybe stay in town and get a bite.”

The renovations are being funded by a combination of individual donors and a $600,000 Empire State Development Grant. The grant is a reimbursement, meaning the museum must spend the entirety of the grant and complete their development plans before getting the money back.

The renovations include new windows and doors, a HVAC heating and cooling system, and a complete remodel of the museum.

“This is our third year of existence, our third season,” said Jacobs. “It's the last time we'll be closing for the winter because of not having heat or anything. I feel like it's the next stage of museums, to be a year-round institution.”

The museum has received other grants in the past few years, including the Institute of Museum and Library and Library Services Inspire! grant for small museums. This allowed the museum to kickstart their oral history project, titled “Community Connectors in the Catskills: Oral Histories of the 1960s.”

That project expanded to 120 videos of Borscht Belt memories. An animator will bring six of them to life. Due to federal budget cuts, the initial grant of $11,000 was reduced to $5,500. Even though the grant was cut in half, the museum wants to continue to push forward and complete this project. Jacobs is currently in the final step of hiring an animator.

For future displays, new curator Mackensie Griffin is working with two college interns to bring to life some of objects donated to the museum. They have received over a thousand donated pieces, and will display a dozen or so of the pieces they feel best represent the history of the local community.

“It's about really identifying the 12 or 15 objects that really tell a compelling story. Sometimes objects could be mundane looking, but it's the story behind them that brings them to life,” said Jacobs.

Some of the donated objects included soap collections, photographs, a chef’s recipe book from the Nevele Grand Hotel, and even a tuxedo worn by a famous comedian. One of the best parts of this project, Jacobs noted, is being able to connect with community members and finding out about these objects.

The Borscht Belt Museum, at 90 Canal St, Ellenville, is currently open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday-Sunday. Starting May 20th, they will be open every day but Mondays.