Reopening of the Champaign County Historical Society (CCHS) Museum has been delayed due to a vendor’s holdup in manufacturing and shipping new display cases for the museum’s collection.

The museum, which closed to the public on December 20 to accommodate improvements to the facility, will not reopen as planned on March 4. The museum will now have a soft opening on Sunday, April 6, in conjunction with a 2 p.m. program, free and open to the public.

Regular museum hours will resume on Tuesday, April 8: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays.

At the April 6 program, Kalen Howell Sr. will speak about the legacy of his grandmother Barbara Howell, who was appointed in 1967 as the first director of the Head Start program in Champaign, Logan and Shelby counties.

Her memory lives on through Barbara Howell Park, 213 E. Market St., named in her honor in 1998. The Barbara Howell Park Conservancy, of which Kalen Howell Sr. is executive director, has been formed to revitalize the park and Urbana’s historic Black neighborhood, empower youth, support the vulnerable, and promote unity across diverse communities.

When the museum reopens, work on improvements will continue, CCHS Executive Director Cheryl Ogden said. Painting and recarpeting are complete and some, but not all, of the museum’s new display cases will be set up. The new cases are designed to exhibit at least 50 percent more artifacts than the museum’s previous display cases and will provide visitors a better view of the museum’s collection. Updated interpretive exhibit signage will also enhance visitors’ experience.

“We look forward to welcoming back visitors and apologize for the delay, though it’s something we couldn’t control,” Ogden said. “Once all work is complete, we will invite the public to a grand reopening event.”

About the Champaign County Historical Society
The museum collects, preserves, and interprets artifacts, documents, and other resources from Champaign County to educate current and future generations about our history.

The museum has been located at 809 East Lawn Ave., Urbana, since 1972. Originally established in 1934, the museum first housed its collection at the former location of the Champaign County Library on West Market Street, and then moved to the Nutwood Barn, south of Grimes Field on North Main Street.
The Historical Society is open to the public 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

At the dinner you can place bids in a silent auction, to support the Historical Society. Auction items will include the creations of Oktoberfest craft vendors. Also during the evening, we’ll update you on the capital improvement project of the CCHS Museum and other plans for the upcoming year.