GALETON — The core exhibit at the Pennsylvania Lumber Museum, located on U.S. Route 6 near Galeton, has earned an important national award.

The Leadership in History committee of the American Association for State and Local History has selected “Challenges and Choices in Pennsylvania’s Forests” as its 2016 Award of Merit winner.

The Leadership in History Awards Program was initiated in 1945 to build standards of excellence in the collection, preservation and interpretation of state and local history throughout America.

“We’re very pleased with this award as it draws attention not only to the Pennsylvania Lumber Museum, but to this important Pennsylvania industry and its impact on the region,” said James Vaughan, executive director of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. “Congratulations to the entire team who made it possible.”

“Challenges and Choices in Pennsylvania’s Forests” explores six time periods, from 800 BCE through the present, with the goal of illustrating the intended and unintended consequences of human interaction with the forest. Specific topics include the growth of Pennsylvania’s lumber industry, the devastation and revival of the state’s forests and current public and private efforts to balance economic, recreational and environmental needs. As part of the story of forest revival, the exhibit includes a section on the impact of the Civilian Conservation Corps in Pennsylvania.

“I congratulate the Pennsylvania Lumber Museum on receiving this national recognition,” Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati, R-Brockway, said. “This award serves as a testament to the wonderful work being done to showcase the history of the timber industry in our Commonwealth. The Lumber Museum is a tremendous asset to Potter County and Pennsylvania’s northcentral region.”

The new exhibit has drawn first-time visitors to the museum and encouraged repeat visitation since the museum reopened last year after an extensive renovation. It has also enlivened existing partnerships between the museum and other organizations, including the Lumber Heritage Region and state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, expanding the museum’s reach and the impact of its mission.

The Lumber Museum educates the public about the Commonwealth’s rich lumber history and the ongoing care, management, and recreational use of its forests. Visitors are encouraged to explore the museum’s working historic saw mill, recreated lumber camp, exhibits, public programs and collections to discover the relevance of history in their lives.

The museum is administered by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission as one of 24 sites on the Pennsylvania Trails of History. It is supported by the Pennsylvania Lumber Museum Associates, a non-profit community-based organization.

Visit the Pennsylvania Lumber Museum online atwww.lumbermuseum.org.