SHELBURNE FALLS — Community members looking to own a piece of Shelburne Falls history are in luck.

To help defray the cost of renovations for Memorial Hall, the Memorial Hall Association will be selling the historic theater seats on Saturday, May 10, as part of the “Take a Seat Campaign.”

In exchange for a $25 donation, Memorial Hall supporters and history buffs can walk away with the seat of their choice. Volunteers will be at the theater from 10 a.m. to noon, during which time interested individuals can make their donation and identify the seat they would like to take home. Seats can be purchased individually, in pairs or as a whole row of 16 seats.

During the week that follows, local contractor Bill Deters will be uninstalling the seats, which will be available for pickup on Saturday, May 17, between 10 a.m. to noon.

Selectboard member Andrew Baker, who serves as a liaison to the Memorial Hall Association, said the idea to sell the seats, which are more than 100 years old, arose in an effort to preserve some of them before they are discarded during the next phase of theater renovations. He said Highland Seating informed them there is not much of a market for these types of seats, so selling them to another theater would not be feasible. The best way to preserve the seats is to offer them to the townspeople.

“It was really driven by the practical reality of demolition,” Baker said. “As old and uncomfortable as they are, many people feel fondly about the seats and have many memories sitting in them while watching a performance at Memorial Hall.”

Jim Kessler, president of the Memorial Hall Association, which manages the site, said he was unsure exactly how old the seats were, as they were purchased used, but they have been in the theater since the 1930s, when the hall became a movie theater.

“There was a fire in the hall in the 1920s. Before that, there was just temporary folding seats,” Kessler said. “I’m not sure the exact dates, but they’re at least 100 years old.”

Baker said the theater renovations will include installing Emerson-style chairs, which are bigger and more comfortable. There will be fewer seats than before — 300 instead of the current 400 — and they will be installed in a semi-circular, staggered pattern to allow for wider aisles and better visibility for patrons.

“Currently they’re all symmetrical, so when you’re sitting in a seat, you end up staring into the back of the head of the person in front of you,” Baker said. “By staggering them we can improve sight lines so you’re looking over someone’s shoulder.”

Baker said other renovations will include work to the stage, flooring, lighting, painting, ceiling repairs and improvements to the acoustics.

“This is an amazing opportunity to prepare the hall for another 100 years,” Kessler said.

Construction work should begin in June and the new seats are expected to be installed by September.

Kessler said the Memorial Hall Association has wanted to make these improvements for a long time, and thanks to a $187,000 grant through the Massachusetts Cultural Council’s Cultural Facilities Fund, $150,000 from the town of Shelburne and more than $50,000 in community donations, the renovations are possible.

“This is the best opportunity we’ve had in years to do this,” Kessler said. “This is the first time all the elements have come together perfectly.”

In addition to selling the old seats, the Memorial Hall Association is asking donors to sponsor a new seat through the upcoming “Name a Seat Campaign.” In exchange for a donation, people can have a small name plate installed on a seat. The association plans to announce more details about that campaign in the next month or so.

Kessler said the association has had quite a few residents inquire about taking home a seat or naming a seat, and while there isn’t a specific goal for how much they want to raise, the association hopes to sell as many seats as possible to prevent them from going in the trash.

“I’m planning to get one and put it on my porch, so I’ll be taking off my boots while sitting in a Memorial Hall theater seat,” Baker said.

To learn more about the renovation project or to donate, visit shelburnefallsmemorialhall.org.

Reach Madison Schofield at 413-930-4579 or mschofield@recorder.com.