Economy Shuts Down St. Paul WWII Museum

Discussion in 'WW2 Museums. Events, & places to see.' started by SSGMike.Ivy, Nov 2, 2008.

  1. SSGMike.Ivy

    SSGMike.Ivy Senior Member

    October 31, 2008
    Star Tribune

    The Twin Cities' only museum dedicated to World War II history has become a victim of the economic downturn, and its executive director has announced that it will close next month.

    The Traces Center for History and Culture http://www.traces.org/
    will vacate the Landmark Center in downtown St. Paul where it has displayed hundreds of photographs, posters, artwork, stories and other documentation of Midwesterners' encounters with Germans or Austrians during World War II since it opened in 2005. The last day of operation will be Nov. 9, said Michael Luick-Thrams, the museum's executive director.

    "It's sad that we will close in 10 days," said Luick-Thrams. "We are the only permanent full World War II exhibit in the Twin Cities and we won't exist any more." At least in a physical location. The non-profit museum has two buses called "Buseums" that circle the Upper Midwest, bringing artifacts and the stories of refugees from Nazi-occupied Europe who settled in the Midwest to small towns and cities that normally don't see such exhibits. Traces currently has two old buses, but Luick-Thrams said they, too, will have to be retired at some time as they wear out.

    Traces also will continue to operate its web site, www.traces.org.

    Over the past three years, more than 110,000 people have walked through one of Traces' mobile exhibits to view such items as soldiers' personal diaries, pipes, photographs of concentration camp victims taken by soldiers from Minnesota. But the number of visitors stopping by its St. Paul home base has dropped precipitously in recent months, prompting Luick-Thrams to close up shop.

    "People love our museum and we excelled," said Luick-Thrams, who spent many years in Germany researching aspects of the war. "But people are cautious to part with their money and schools are scared to book field trips."

    Luick-Thrams spent about $70,000 to build displays to house the artifacts and placards he had collected for over a 10-year period. Some of the holders and furnishings were built from chicken coops and hog house rooftops from his native Iowa.

    Luick-Thrams' bigger concern now is what to do with all the expansive collection. Staff has been cut from 10 to 2 1/2 and he is hoping members of the public will come help box things up. Then comes finding a place for it.

    "We need a good home for all of this stuff," he said. "I feel as if I'm cutting off a part of myself."
     
  2. natski282

    natski282 Junior Member

    what a darn shame
     

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