Making History Once Again

Newly renovated Siloam Springs Museum opens March 30

Janelle Jessen

Special to The Free Weekly

After months of renovations, the Siloam Springs Museum is ready to reopen its doors to the public and showcase the transformed space.

A grand opening for the museum will be held March 30. A ribbon cutting will take place at 10 a.m. followed by a reception with refreshments immediately afterward. The museum will be open for tours until 5 p.m.

“We’re grateful to the city for the gift of our amazing renovated space and anticipate many years of serving the community by sharing the wonderful history of Siloam Springs,” says Laura Klenda, museum board vice president.

The museum building, located on North Maxwell Street, has been closed since May 2018 for renovations, but the organization’s activities in the community, such as Oktoberfest, have continued.

The makeover, which was funded for $371,000 from the sale of the Siloam Springs Memorial Hospital, included changes to the first floor and basement as well as the addition of a partial second floor. On the first floor, the ceiling and walls were opened, and a system of interchangeable walls was added in the middle of the building. A classroom, special exhibit room and public restrooms were also added.

An office space was added above the ceiling in the new second floor, and the basement was updated to create storage space for the museum’s archives.

Present and past city board members and officials got a sneak peak at the museum during a special tour in February. The public will have a chance to see the transformed space during the grand opening, according to Don Warden, museum director of collections and research.

After the grand opening, the museum will be open limited hours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday as the organization continues the process of moving its collection back into the renovated building, Warden says. Regular hours will eventually resume, he says.

More information is available at siloamspringsmusuem.com and on the museum’s Facebook page.