Plans Being Made For Closing Of The 138-Year-Old Illinois State Museum System

Plans Being Made For Closing Of The 138-Year-Old Illinois State Museum System

Plans have been proposed to close the 138-year-old
Illinois State Museum System. This includes their large
collection of Quaternary vertebrates

Statement from the American Alliance of Museums:
“Illinois State Museum System at Risk of Closure; Show
Your Support! http://t.congressweb.com/w/?GILOPWGAPZ

Some Illinois State Museum web pages:

http://exhibits.museum.state.il.us/exhibits/larson/loess.html
http://exhibits.museum.state.il.us/exhibits/larson/ice_age_animals.html
Faunmap, Illinois State Museum - http://www.museum.state.il.us/research/faunmap/
http://www.museum.state.il.us/research/faunmap/aboutfaunmap.html

Opinion pieces about proposed closing:

Jodie O'Gorman: Closing Illinois State Museum would
reflect poorly on the state, The State-Journal-Register
http://www.sj-r.com/article/20150625/OPINION/150629652

Our Opinion: Don't shutter Illinois' natural, cultural
history, June 27, 2015, The State-Journal-Register
http://www.sj-r.com/article/20150627/OPINION/150629564/

The public hearing on the closure is scheduled for July 13.
The public comment period runs through July 22.

Newspaper articles are:

1. Illinois State Museum closing would be devastating, advocate says
The State-Journal-Register, June 10, 2015
http://www.sj-r.com/article/20150610/NEWS/150619927

2. Illinois State Museum to remain open into August pending review
The State-Journal-Register, June 30, 2015
http://www.sj-r.com/article/20150630/NEWS/150639947

3. Public hearing scheduled on possible Illinois State Museum closure
The State-Journal-Register, June 29, 2015
http://www.sj-r.com/article/20150629/NEWS/150629506

Nice public radio piece is “Grassroots Efforts To Keep State
Museum Open” by Rachel Otwell, July 1, 2015
http://wuis.org/post/grass-roots-efforts-keep-state-museum-open

Official schedule:
http://cgfa.ilga.gov/resource.aspx?id=1822

Official closure statement from DNR:
http://cgfa.ilga.gov/upload/DNRrecommendILStateMuseum.pdf

Website for public commentary:
http://cgfa.ilga.gov/Resource.aspx?id=1357

Yours,

Paul H