The Illinois State Museum Lockport Gallery will open to the public at 11 a.m. Saturday, September 24, 2016. The Gallery’s opening will coincide with the Lockport Summer Arts Festival. The Gallery will present a new exhibition entitled “Open” that features works of art that express the theme of openness.
The State of Illinois and the City of Lockport have been working together to develop a sustainable partnership between the community, the Illinois State Museum, and the Illinois State Museum Society. The agreement provides for the parties to share expenses needed to operate the Gallery. The Society also will add a Lockport area citizen to its board to promote brand recognition, membership and development in northeastern Illinois.
“As the mayor of Lockport, I am very pleased that the ISM Lockport Gallery will be re-opening. The campus is a terrific asset to our historic downtown and its economic revitalization, and its presence allows people in the Western Suburbs the opportunity to access the state’s rich cultural heritage,” said Steven Streit, Mayor of Lockport. “This opening demonstrates that government can find creative solutions to budget problems when all parties involved are open to compromise. Acknowledging the state’s financial challenges, the Governor and I found a way to share the cost between State and Local government, as well as through private business, which eases the total cost to Springfield.”
“The Illinois State Museum Board of Directors is excited to announce that the Lockport Gallery will soon be open to the public,” said ISM Board Member Rosemary Winters of LaGrange. “As a member of the board I would like to thank the City of Lockport for working with us to create a new support structure for the museum. The enthusiasm of the local community was an inspiring influence. The City of Lockport, Governor’s Office, IDNR, Senators, Representatives, ISM Staff, individuals, and organizations have all come together to develop an innovative plan to lead the ISM Lockport Gallery into the future.” Regular hours for the Gallery will be from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Sunday.