The Heritage Museum And Cultural Center

THROUGH EXHIBITION AND RESEARCH, THE MUSEUM EDUCATES THE COMMUNITY ON HISTORY AND CULTURE.

MUSEUM EXHIBITS FOCUSED ON REVITALIZING THE HERITAGE'S ROLE IN SHARING THE HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH, BENTON HARBOR, AND THE SURROUNDING AREA WITH BOTH VISITORS AND RESIDENTS OF OUR COMMUNITY. IN 2023 THE HERITAGE TEAM RESEARCHED, DESIGNED, AND INSTALLED SIX MUSEUM EXHIBITS. FACES OF SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN: WINTER WONDERLAND, THE FIRST IN A DIGITAL, CROWD-SOURCED PUBLIC HISTORY EXHIBIT SERIES, WAS ADDED TO THE PARLOR ON THE MAIN LEVEL. ALSO DEBUTING AT THE HERITAGE WERE THE THE PAST IS PROLOGUE IN EXHIBIT HALL A, THE VENETIAN COLLECTION IN THE BALCONY VITRINE, THE CHINA COLLECTION IN THE SHEPARD HALL BALLROOM VITRINE, INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE IN SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN IN THE PARLOR AND THEN MOVED TO THE LOWER LEVEL, AND LAKESIDE VISIONS IN THE SPELMAN GALLERY ON THE LOWER LEVEL. IN ADDITION, UPDATES WERE MADE TO LIGHTING THE WAY: ST. JOSEPH'S FRESNEL LENSES AND THE BIG 3: BOAT AND SHIPBUILDING IN BENTON HARBOR AND ST. JOSEPH. DURING 2024 SIGNIFICANT WORK WAS CONDUCTED IN THE AREA OF CONTENT DEVELOPMENT FOR THE HERITAGE'S NEXT PERMANENT EXHIBIT. THE HEREITAGE'S ARCHIVES ARE THE HEART OF THE MUSEUM. THE ARCHIVES ARE CRITICAL TO DEVELOPMENT OF EXHIBITS, CONDUCTING RESEARCH, AND CREATION OF EDUCATIONAL CONTENT. IN 2023 SIGNIFICANT TIME AND EFFORT WERE DEDICATED TO UPDATING THE ORGANIZATION AND DIGITAL CATALOGING, AS WELL AS VITAL PRESERVATION TASKS FOR THE CONTENTS OF THE ARCHIVES. DURING THE YEAR THE HERITAGE TEAM ALSO LEVERAGED THE IMPROVED ARCHIVE ACCESSIBILITY AND ORGANIZATION TO CONDUCT RESEARCH IN SUPPORT OF COMMUNITY REQUESTS, LECTURES, EXHIBITS, AND TOURS. THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE UPTON GRADUATE FELLOW IN PUBLIC HISTORY, A HISTORIAN FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME AND FUNDED THROUGH A GRANT FROM THE FREDERICK S. UPTON FOUNDATION, LED THE ARCHIVE MANAGEMENT EFFORTS IN THE LATTER HALF OF 2023.TOUR OPERATIONS INCLUDED TOUR AND EXHIBIT SERVICES FOR THE ST. JOSEPH NORTH PIER INNER AND OUTER LIGHTS. DESPITE MISSING OUT ON 12 OF THE LIMITED NUMBER OF AVAILABLE DAYS IN THE 2023 TOUR SEASON DUE TO WEATHER AND/OR LAKE CONDITIONS ALONG THE PIER, THE 2023 SEASON WAS A SUCCESS. THE SEASON RANKED SECOND ALL-TIME IN THE HISTORY OF THE PROGRAM IN BOTH VISITORS AND REVENUE COLLECTED, SIGNIFICANTLY OUTPERFORMING THE TYPICAL SUMMER. THE 2023 SEASON ALSO WITNESSED THE ADDITION OF TWO DIGITAL EXHIBITS IN THE INNER LIGHT, THE FIRST UPDATES TO THE HERITAGE'S EXHIBITS ON THE NORTH PIER IN MANY YEARS.