The Jacksonville Area Museum will come to life with special first-person portrayals of historic local residents during “Night at the Museum: Living Wax Legends” to be presented on successive Wednesdays, November 8 and 15. The November 8 presentation will be for museum members only, with the November 15 presentation intended for the general public.
“Night at the Museum” is presented by the Jacksonville Area Museum Foundation in coordination with the Jacksonville Area Museum. This new event will kick off the next phase of fundraising for the expansion of the museum.
“About ten months ago we quietly kicked off a campaign to raise the funds needed for the expansion,” said Foundation Board Chair Bob Chipman. “This event will begin the public phase of the campaign, and we will also be making some exciting announcements.”
“Night at the Museum” features an approximate 45-minute tour around the museum in which seven of the area’s “Living Wax Legends” being portrayed by local actors will come to life and share their individual stories. Local theater veteran Rich McCoy is directing the actors, who will portray African American postal carrier Eugene Hayden, Hollywood composer Frank Skinner, professional deaf baseball star Luther “Dummy” Taylor, Morgan County pioneer and midwife Catherine Kendall “Mother” Carson, artist Nellie Knopf, globe-trotting journalist William Walton, and a young Capitol Records employee who attended the 1965 “Lettermen” concert in town.
Artifacts from the museum’s collection that have never before been publicly displayed will be on exhibit. A model of the museum’s planned expansion will also be on display so attendees can get an idea of the growth ahead for Jacksonville’s newest cultural experience. Light refreshments will be served.
“Night at the Museum: Living Wax Legends” will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. each evening with six small groups of 10-12 people able to tour each hour. Museum members are being notified how to purchase their tickets for the November 8 event. Tickets for the November 15 public event are limited and can be purchased at the museum, at both Farmers State Bank locations, and at the Jacksonville Convention and Visitors Bureau. The cost is $20 per person.
The Jacksonville Area Museum is open regular hours from 10 a.m. to 40 p.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays and 1 to 4 p.m on Sundays. The museum is located in the old Post Office building at 301 E. State St. There is no admission fee during normal hours of operation, but a donation of $5 is suggested.
Visit jacksonvilleareamuseum.org or connect with the Jacksonville Area Museum on Facebook for more information or to find out how to become a museum member or volunteer.