The Gerald R. Ford Museum in Grand Rapids, Michigan, has closed its doors ahead of a major revamp of the ageing facility.

The museum, first opened in 1982, will be closed for eight months as new permanent interactive exhibits are installed and renovations are carried out on the facility.

Originally designed by Marvin DeWinter Associates at a cost of US$11m, the 44,000sq ft facility will be modernised as part of a US$15m expansion project. In addition to new permanent exhibits, an 8,000sq ft learning centre on the south end of the museum will be opened to teach students civics through the lives of President Ford and his wife Betty Ford, and the lobby and gift shop will be renovated.

"Our hope is to teach our next generation of leaders the importance of leading with character and integrity just as President Ford demonstrated with his leadership," said Red Cavaney, chair of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation.

The museum is unique in that it is the only such facility to be separate from the presidential library, which is located around 130 miles (210 km) away in Ann Arbor, though both run as the same institution with a single director. The redevelopment costs have been covered through a combination of private donations and fundraising efforts.