SALAMANCA, N.Y. — The Seneca Nation of Indians hosted a ground-breaking ceremony at what will become the site of a $13 million cultural center and museum.

The facility will be the new home of the Seneca Iroquois National Museum, currently located on Broad Street, and an outdated-archives department. The Nation is conducting pre-development work on the project while a full construction schedule is being finalized, according to a press release.

The Seneca Iroquois National Museum was built in 1977, and many Seneca officials in attendance remarked how far the Nation has come in nearly 40 years.

“In 1977, I had the honor of serving as tribal councilor,” said Seneca President Maurice John. “I was the master of ceremonies for the opening of the Seneca Iroquois National Museum. At that time, we did the best we could with our budgetary constraints, but we recognized the value of building a museum.”

Even at that point, Seneca Councilor Stephen Gordon said, they had a clear vision for the museum’s intent and purpose that will be carried on in this new facility.

“I remember what the people said. The people said we don’t want a museum that will house a big collection, we want it to be a living museum, letting the people know that we are still here,” he said. “It is going to be my hope and encouragement that the new ground we are breaking here for the new museum and archive center will go forward with that message in mind.”

It is the intention for the new facility to provide greater space and opportunity to display the Nation’s growing collection of artifacts, as the limited size of the current museum only allows them to display a small portion. It will also function as an updated facility to house its archives, according to Rebecca Bowen, director of the archives department.

“The new centralized museum and archives will collect and preserve all of our holdings in a state-of-the-art environment, where temperature and humidity, controlled lighting, acid-free storage containers and diligence are the norm,” she said.

In keeping with the notion of “living history,” future plans also include space for outdoor culture and arts areas, along with research and library programs.

John said he hopes the Nation will be able to find use for the old museum building in some way.

Gordon took a moment during the ceremony to recognize the important role Bowen has played in the preservation of Seneca artifacts.

“I applaud Becky Bowen,” he said. “The work she does in archives she does with a true passion. She loves what she’s doing, and she knows it’s for those generations still coming.”

Bowen emphasized the importance of renewed efforts to preserve the Senecas’ artifacts, art, culture and traditions.

“In all honesty, we have lost much over the decades and the generations,” she said. “We were not always good stewards of our documentary records. But this is a new day.

“This building and its contents will stand on this ground long after the generations represented here on this day have passed on,” Bowen continued. “Today we bequeath to future generations of Senecas and to the visitors who will come from across the United States the opportunity to be inspired and enlightened by our great nation.”

Many area officials were in attendance at the ground-breaking ceremony, including a representative for U.S. Rep. Tom Reed, R-Corning; a representative for state Sen. Catharine Young, R-Olean; Cattaraugus County legislators; city aldermen; and Mayor Ronald Ball, who issued a statement after the proceedings.

The announcement of the multimillion-dollar cultural center comes on the heels of an announcement that Seneca Gaming Corp. will soon begin work on a $40 million expansion of the Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino in downtown Buffalo, and just a few weeks after the Nation celebrated the completion of a $32 million infrastructure improvement program on the Cattaraugus Territory.

“In 50 years, the Seneca Nation has grown from one little office in downtown on Main Street in Salamanca that housed the Seneca Nation. Today you can see our vast empire, and it only took us 50 years, so you can imagine where we will be in 50 more years,” Gordon said.