The Little White School Museum, 72 Polk Street (Jackson at Polk Street), Oswego, will be open Thursday, Nov. 5, by reservation only and will not maintain regular open hours, according to a press release. Museum programming and events will continue as scheduled.
According to museum manager Tina Heidrich, the move is being made due to sharply-lower attendance because of the on-going pandemic. Museum staff members and Oswegoland Park District officials will look at the situation again in January 2021, Heidrich said, to determine whether the Museum will resume regular open hours.
In the meantime, however, residents who want to tour the museum, or patronize the Museum store, are urged to make a reservation by calling 630-554-4494 or sending to cheidrich@littlewhiteschoolmuseum.org. Residents can make reservations by visiting the museum web site, www.littlewhiteschoolmuseum.org and clicking on the visit tab at the right, top, of the screen.
Those interested in learning more about Oswegoland history can make virtual visits, read all the Museum’s brochures, and see all five of the Museum gallery’s Oswego history videos by clicking on visit and scrolling down to Gallery on the Go.
“Our goal is to keep bringing the fascinating story of the Oswego area’s history to the community in as many ways as we can, despite the nationwide emergency we’re currently dealing with,” Heidrich said.
Museum director Roger Matile said anyone with Oswego-related history questions is urged to call 630-554-4494 and leave a message or send to info@littlewhiteschoolmuseum.com and the museum’s volunteer staff will try to answer them on a time-available basis.
The Little White School Museum is a joint project of the Oswegoland Park District, which provides funds for part-time staff members, and grounds and building maintenance and upkeep; and the non-profit Oswegoland Heritage Association, which provides funds for acquisition and maintenance of the Museum’s collections of more than 31,000 photographs, artifacts, and archival documents; provides volunteer staff members; and sponsors history-related programming.
—Little White School Museum