(AP) — The new home of the Tubman African American Museum is finally taking shape after nearly 15 years of planning, fundraising, building — and roadblocks. A 74-foot-tall circular atrium will welcome visitors in the spring for the museum's soft opening, but for now the downtown building is filled with echoing voices and the sound of construction workers as they make final touches. Construction started on the new building in 2001, but only the exterior was completed before progress came to a screeching halt, said Andy Ambrose, the museum's executive director. On the first floor will be a museum store, two classrooms, storage space and a gallery for temporary exhibits. When the museum opens, the gallery's first exhibit will showcase the museum's collection of black artists with ties to Georgia, Ambrose said. At a later date, we're going to bring on a wonderful signature exhibit of African-American music and musicians from Macon and Middle Georgia, centered around Little Richard and Otis Redding. "[...] we're going to finally have a chance to weave those (works) into historical presentations and stories both of national as well as local history," Ambrose said. Besides being a place for art and history, Ambrose said he hopes it will also be a place for the community to use for meetings, classes, seminars, weddings and more.