One of Alabama's top tourist attractions is getting a new name, a refurbished look and a new purpose.

Alabama's Constitution Village in downtown Huntsville is getting the makeover as part of the state's 200th birthday celebration next year.

It's the site where delegates from across the state gathered to formalize Alabama's application to become the country's 22nd state in 1819.

"The importance of what they did back then cannot be understated," state Sen. Arthur Orr said.

Local and statewide leaders gathered on a steamy Tuesday morning to formally break ground on the final phase of what will ultimately be a two-year project to give the outdoor museum a fresh appearance just in time for the state's birthday party.

"We've invited the world to come visit with us," said Bart Williams, executive director of the EarlyWorks Family of Museums in Huntsville - which includes Constitution Village.

If you accept the invitation, you'll see some familiar surroundings but also some changes.

First, the site is reverting to its original name of Constitution Hall Park, Williams said. And that's because the site is becoming, well, a park.

The fences with a 17th-century look around the site will be removed and the grassy site will become a public space amid the historic buildings. That means there will no longer be an admission charge to access the grounds, though scheduled tours of the facilities will continue to be ticketed, Williams said.

And more changes are coming. Santa's Village, the popular Christmas adaptation of the historic site, "is changing," Williams said. Details on those changes will be announced next month, he said.

It's all a part of a $2.2 million sprucing up of the site that's including interior and exterior repairs on weathered facilities as well as a grander entrance fit to be part of the state's bicentennial celebration next year.

There will be areas for weddings and special events, outdoor classrooms for children and a place "where the townspeople young and old will gather for celebrations, education and community events," according to the museum.

The renovations are expected to be completed by March 2019.

"We do envision it all changing a little bit," Williams said. "It's at the heart of our mission to keep the education component alive and keep it relative. As part of this project, we're created a living history classroom so every time a field trip comes in, they will have the option of coming in and doing some historic task or trade.

"So those tours will still be available to school kids - especially next year. We'll have a full menu of history education field trips. The daily operation as we see it happening over the next year as it evolves, the fences are coming down and this will become a public space."

Williams compared it to the historic town of Williamsburg, Va.

"In Williamsburg, you can walk up and down the street and interact with the shops and things like that," he said. "And you might run up and find a historical interpreter in costume. Those things will still happen here. That will be free of charge. If you want to take a tour, there will be special tours at special times and those will be ticketed."

Tuesday's ceremony stirred memories for those in attendance, from Madison County Commissioner Dale Strong referring to his ancestor who signed the document making Alabama a state while Speaker of the House Mac McCutcheon talked about bringing his grandchildren to Constitution Village.

"This is our starting point," Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle said. "You look right here, this is where the state of Alabama was started. As we look at the history of what established our state, where this state has been, the place where it is today, we look over 199 years and 199 years of progress."

And it makes Constitution Village, er, Constitution Hall Park a special place.

"I think that's what's so significant about this project," McCutcheon said. "It focuses back on the historical aspect of what we mean to the state of Alabama. And I'm very, very proud of that.

"This is a very special time in Alabama and I think we should cherish that and be thankful for it."