Targeted By Governor Rauner Illinois State Museum S Chicago Facilities Are Emptying Out

• Guy Nicol
• Marjorie Woodruff’s Ghost Trees

My favorite stops on any visit to the state offices at the Thompson Center are the Chicago Gallery of the Illinois State Museum and the Illinois Artisans shop.

In preparation for this shutdown, the current exhibit at the gallery has been abruptly canceled and the gallery door locked, effective yesterday. (It’ll reopen from noon to 1:30 PM on Wednesday, June 24, for a previously scheduled discussion with artists Nora Lloyd and Christine Redcloud, as well artist and historian Frances L. Hagemann and curator Jane Stevens.)

A DNR spokesperson says most of the museum system’s 68 employees will be laid off when it closes, leaving just enough staff to maintain the collections and buildings.

A petition addressed to Rauner, asking him not to close the State Museum, has collected more than 6,000 signatures so far.