By Brett Rowland | The Center Square
(The Center Square) – The Illinois State Museum will close all its facilities, including its main facility in Springfield, its Research and Collections Center, Dickson Mounds Museum in Lewistown and the Lockport Gallery in Lockport.
“What our patrons love most about our facilities – the opportunity to interact exhibits, patrons and staff – also is of greatest concern at this time,” Illinois State Museum Director Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko said in a statement Monday. “We know this decision is the best course of action to ensure the safety of patrons who visit our facilities as well as our dedicated staff.”
The closure comes as state officials work to limit the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus at the center of a global pandemic.
Illinois State Museum officials plan to work with the governor’s office and the Illinois Department of Public Health to “assess the optimal time to reopen facilities,” according to a news release.
This story first appeared on The Center Square.
