The Manitoba Agricultural Museum in Austin is undertaking a feasibility study for a year round climate controlled facility.

The study is set to begin next January and Museum Vice President Robert Beamish explains what the study will entail.

"They're going to look at the financial viability of it, identify potential donors, make some building concept drawings and then the next step is to move towards that goal."

Beamish says a climate controlled facility would be crucial, and notes running an outdoor during museum in Manitoba winters is not an easy thing to do.

"We are a museum and we are mandated to be open year round, or a reasonable amount of time and we are getting visitors stopping in year round to see various artifacts," he says. "As you know in this country when it snows, it can be rather deep, and to go and look at some display items is rather difficult unless you've got snowshoes."

Beamish is excited to see the study is being done, but if it's approved, the project could take a little while to complete.

"It'll be a few years, probably, once we find out if it's possible," Beamish says. "Making sure the donors are in place, finding out the cost, and then we'll have to fundraise towards that, so it's not going to be shortly — it'll be down the road a ways."

Beamish says a climate controlled facility would be a huge asset to not only the museum, but to Austin and the surrounding area because the museum is already a popular tourist destination. He thinks the building would make the museum more comfortable to attract more people from all over the world.