MUSEUM UPDATE
March 25, 2009
Dear Museum Supporters:
We have been very busy during the last two months selecting a new site for the museum. Eleven local communities have shown an interest in the museum relocating to their town. The possible sites have been reduced to just a few and we are attempting to secure the best possible location for the future success of the museum and northwest Ohio. This process is taking longer than I would have liked but I believe you will be very excited about the end result.
Visitor education and enjoyment in a stress free environment is the main objective of the American Civil War Museum of Ohio. This will be accomplished by providing an attractive site, plenty of hands on activities, well conceived exhibits, space to roam, plenty of free parking, ADA accessibility, a large meeting room, a small café, a well stocked gift shop and a friendly and knowledgeable staff. Our plan is not to just reopen the museum but to reopen bigger and better than before at a first class location that can attract visitors from across the region.
Community Report Card:
The American Civil War Museum of Ohio was formed to satisfy our community’s need for a unique educational museum by collecting, preserving, and interpreting the American Civil War and its impact on the current generation of American people. The museum operated at 123 East Court Street Bowling Green, OH for twenty six (26) months until ceasing operations on January 22, 2009, and is organized as a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit Ohio corporation. The museum receives no direct funding from city, county, state or federal agencies. The museum has no paid employees and relies on museum visitation, gift shop sales, memberships, donations, and corporate sponsorship to fund the museums educational programs and operations.
During our twenty-six (26) months of operation the museum was able to offer an educational museum experience to 11,992 visitors from across the region. This total includes museum visitation, group educational programs and our popular Traveling Exhibit.
The American Civil War Museum of Ohio has participated in many special events that have allowed community members to visit the museum free of charge. Some of these events include the Bowling Green Memorial Day Parade, Veterans Day, Be a Tourist in Your Home Town event, the Bowling Green Downtown Art Walk and our monthly After Hours Programs.
The museum completed an expansion of its facilities in November of 2007 that allowed the museum to nearly double the available space for exhibits and programs. This expansion allowed the museum to offer improved educational opportunities for the community and enabled the museum to become a true “destination site” for travelers. Nearly fifty (50) percent of museum visitors traveled more than one (1) hour to visit the museum.
I thank you for your support during the last two years and for the many letters and emails thanking us for a job well done. I hope that you will continue to support the museum as we look at securing a new location. We are beginning efforts to raise much needed funds in order to pay for costs associated with relocating and reopening the American Civil War Museum of Ohio. Any and all donations you can make are tax deductible and very much appreciated.
Thank you,
Mark D. Young
President
American Civil War Museum of Ohio
419-509-0324
www.acwmo.org
