Don’t close the museum, continued. The one and only public hearing on Gov. Bruce Rauner’s crazy proposal to close the Illinois State Museum is 4 p.m. Monday in Room 212 of the Capitol. Those who wish to speak must contact in advance the Commission on Government Financing and Accountability at facilityclosure@ilga.gov. The written comments posted on COGFA’s website grew to 170 pages by July 5, up from 100 pages July 1. Among the latest to write their opposition is the American Institute of Biological Sciences: “The closure of the state museum will prevent researchers, educators, students and the public from accessing more than 12.5 million items. These are irreplaceable resources documenting the natural and cultural history of Illinois.” The president of The Field Museum writes: “There are measures of economy that are repairable and some that are not. The collections of the [Illinois State] Museum require sophisticated maintenance. Not providing that maintenance will cause lasting and irreparable harm.” Curiously, so far we haven’t heard much on this subject from Springfield’s mayor or city council members, who may be too busy celebrating the Rauner administration’s support for a second Springfield lake to give attention to saving one of the city’s most important cultural resources. –Fletcher Farrar, editor and publisher
This article appears in Jul 9-15, 2015.
