The Lyon County Museum is participating in Minnesota Museums Month. The annual tradition is a collaboration among museums of all types — history, art, science, zoos, gardens, and more, to raise awareness and celebrate the importance of museums around the state. This month, you are encouraged to visit sites and institutions in our community and across our great state. With at least one museum in every Minnesota county, there is no shortage of opportunities to explore!

Minnesota is one of only a few states in the country that dedicates an entire month to celebrating the rich cultural resources of its museums. Here, communities recognize the important role local museums have as not only tourist destinations, but also as partners for economic development and cultural exchanges. According to Ford Bell, former president of the American Alliance of Museums, “Today, more than ever, museums are an integral part of the foundation of our civic life in America. They help us to face the challenges of the future, grounded in the lessons of our shared history.”

Since its inception in 2012, Minnesota Museums Month has come to be a celebration of our shared communities, histories, and cultures. Throughout May, the Lyon County Museum is offering special afternoon and evening events for museum visitors. We will sell Schwan’s root beer or orange floats for $1 from 2-5 p.m. May 9 and May 23 in the museum’s ice cream shop.

For programs, starting on May 7, we are hosting Joseph Amato at 6:30 p.m. to talk about his book and local history, “Buffalo Man and Historical Imagination: Ways of Thinking and Writing Local History.” On May 9 at 6:30 p.m., Colleen Hondl Gengler will present on “WWII Prisoner of War Camps in Southern Minnesota.” On May 21 at 6:30 p.m., I will give a presentation on “Caring for and Reading Old Photographs.” On May 22 starting at 6 p.m., we will have an exhibit reception and program on Mark Schwanebeck’s pipe collection. The pipe collection is on view now through June 15 in the museum’s Heritage Room exhibit. Mark will talk about his collection on the 22nd at 6:30 p.m. On May 28 at 6:30 p.m., Lloyd Petersen will present on “A Look Back at the 1950s.” And lastly, on May 30 at 6:30 p.m., Phyllis Cole-Dai will talk about her book, “Beneath the Same Stars: Fictionalizing the 1862 U.S. Dakota War.”

All the May events and programs are posted on the museum’s Facebook page and the museum’s website: www.lyoncomuseum.org for more details. The Lyon County Historical Society is a non-profit, member-supported organization. For more information on membership, research, volunteering, or the museum’s collection, please contact us at 537-6580 or director@lyoncomuseum.org. Like our page and follow us on Facebook.