Edward Pany, curator of Atlas Cement Company Memorial Museum, announced the reopening of the museum, located at 1401 Laubach Ave., Northampton.

The opening will take place 1 p.m. May 14.

Many of the displays have been refreshed, and new items have been added.

The museum traces the development of the cement industry in the Lehigh Valley, starting with the development of a Portland Cement plant in Coplay by David O. Saylor in 1866. In all, more than 60 cement plants would thrive on the richest limestone deposits in the world.

That stone ran in the ground from just east of Reading to western New Jersey and formed the basis of this industry.

The impact on the Lehigh Valley can easily be compared to the steel industry, but cement is still being produced here. The area’s four Atlas plants made it the largest cement facility in the world by 1905.

The museum is open 1-3 p.m. the second and fourth Sundays of each month, May through September. Admission is always free.

Private tours are available for groups of 10 or more by calling 610-262-2576 or 610-262-4562.