Terre Haute Museums Hopeful Patrons Return Soon
[Terre Haute, IN, August 4, 2020] – It has been eight weeks since Governor Holcomb and the Indiana Back on Track plan gave local museums the green light to reopen to the public. Speculators thought the general public would race back to the museums because they were ready to be out and about following quarantine due to COVID-19. However, that has been far from the case. Local museums are seeing very low attendance and are starting to feel the financial pain.
After a 13 week closure this spring, which came at a critical time for the overall financial health of museums, local museums including the Terre Haute Children’s Museum, the Vigo County Historical Society & Museum, the Swope Art Museum, and the Candles Holocaust Museum and Education Center opened to lackluster crowds. At this time, the Eugene V. Debs Museum remains closed. These museums, along with the majority of museums across the nation, rely heavily upon earned income to pay staff, update exhibits and keep the doors open to the public. Earned income can take many forms including ticket sales, events, field trips, facility rentals and memberships – all of which have essentially disappeared this year. Although many institutions received lifeline support from the Federal Paycheck Protection Program, that support has ended. And, even though local museums have been able to reopen to the public for in-person visits and programming, this revenue is only a small fraction of what it typically is at this time of year. In addition, there are significant increased expenses to safely welcome guests back, such as enhanced cleaning and sanitation, securing new safety supplies, and alterations to the visitor experience.
This is not an issue unique to the Wabash Valley. Museums of all genres are struggling right now. The American Alliance of Museums just issued a survey of 760 museums that illustrates the seriousness of the issue. Based on the survey responses, 33 percent of museums are not confident they will be able to survive 16 months without additional financial relief, and 16 percent felt they were at significant risk of permanent closure. In addition, 87 percent of museums have only 12 months or less of financial operating reserves remaining, with 56 percent having less than six months left to cover operations. Of those who have reopened, 44 percent have furloughed or laid off some portion of their staff.
Now, more than ever, the museums of our community need your support! The health of our museum community is important to the overall health of our region as we begin to grow and expand. There has never been a better time to visit one of our local museums. They are safe places for play, enjoyment, relaxation and learning. All of our local museums are working hard to follow local and national guidelines to ensure we are providing safe and comfortable locations for you to visit. By buying or renewing your membership, buying tickets to visit for the day, or making a purchase at our gift stores, you are helping support the local economy. Our museums provide valuable jobs in our community and those wages are reinvested in our community by our staff members who live, work and play in the Wabash Valley. Our museums are also a wonderful place to take a break from the everyday stress you might be feeling. Taking a stroll through a local museum is a great way to care for your own mental health. Making a charitable contribution to your favorite museum is also a way you can help. With the passing of the CARES Act, the bill allows for up to $300 in charitable contributions to be an above-the-line deduction, meaning you don’t have to itemize to claim the deduction. Contributions
Despite the daily challenges our museums face, they continue to serve the community by providing in-person and online educational content, most of which is made available at little to no charge. Help us ensure the future of our museums by planning a visit soon – when the time is right for you.
For more information on how you can help, please contact one of our local museums.
CANDLES Holocaust Museum and Education Center
Leah Simpson, Director
812-234-7881
leah@candlesholocaustmuseum.
Debs Foundation
Allison Duerk, Director
812-232-2163
Allison.duerk@debsfoundation.
Swope Art Museum
Fred J. Nation, Director
317-752-9576
nation@swope.org
Terre Haute Children’s Museum
Susan Turner, MLD, Executive Director
812-235-5548
sturner@
Vigo County Historical Society & Museum
Susan Tingley, Director
812-235-9717
susan.tingley@vchsmuseum.org
