Tamara Hemmerlein with Millie Sorrells viewing an exhibit of Millie’s quilts at the Western Illinois Museum.
On September 21st, the Western Illinois Museum welcomed Tamara Hemmerlein, who over two days conducted a peer review of the Museum’s collection practices. The site visit was part of the American Alliance of Museums’ Museum Assessment Program (MAP) that the Museum has been participating in this year. The program is designed to help small and mid-sized museums of all types strengthen operations, plan for the future, and meet professional standards. Over the last few months, the museum board, staff, and volunteers have followed the program’s process of self-assessment and guided activities. The on-site peer review is an important part of the MAP program bringing new ideas, fresh perspectives, and expert advice on prioritizing areas for improvement.
Tamara Hemmerlein, Director of Local History Services at the Indiana Historical Society, has experience working with and advising small to mid-size museums. From her time spent at the Museum, she will create a report that will guide the Board in setting goals for improving the care of the collection as well as strategies for building the collection to better represent the history and culture of west central Illinois. The ongoing renovations at the Museum are creating a new floor plan that includes an open collection area for visitors to explore. The report will also offer guidance on how to create and manage a safe yet accessible collection area.
The Western Illinois Museum is a non-profit organization celebrating and nurturing the history, culture, and traditions of McDonough County, and is quickly becoming a vibrant community hub that features exhibits, an open collection, lectures, music, and other programs in a historic building. The Museum is located at 201 S. Lafayette Street, one block south of Macomb’s Courthouse Square.
A full schedule of events can be found at wimuseum.org or follow on social media @wimuseum. For further information, call 309-837-2750, text 309-837-2613, or email info@wimuseum.org.