After being closed for over seven months, the Seguin Guadalupe County Heritage Museum has officially reopened to the public. On March 16, the museum announced that they would be closing their doors temporarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prior to the closure, the museum was working on its 21st Anniversary celebration which was supposed to occur in April. In those 21 years, the museum has built a large collection of artifacts from the residents and businesses of Guadalupe County. Their collection includes artifacts from Native American tribes that lived in the area, household goods from early settlers, over 10,000 historic photographs, sports memorabilia and so much more.
The Board of the museum saw the closure as an opportunity to address some needed repairs at the museum. This included bathroom remodels which will meet ADA requirements. Additionally, new HVAC equipment was installed ensuring visitors have a comfortable experience when visiting the museum. Thanks to the generosity of the Seguin community and a GVEC Power Up grant, the museum was able to fund the over $35,000 in repairs without taking out a loan.
In addition to making building repairs, the museum also has made some changes to operations. Instead of being open Tuesday through Friday, the museum will now be open Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Additionally, the museum will be relying more on volunteers to assist with operating the museum and welcoming guests and visitors. If you are interested in volunteering to serve as a docent for the museum, please contact the museum at (830) 372-0965 or heritagemuseum1898@gmail.com.
“I am extremely excited to be open on Saturdays to welcome more out of town visitors, and I am also excited about the volunteers that we have recruited. They have some great talents that they are bringing to the table,” said Doug Parker, President of the Board of Directors for the museum.
If you have never been to the museum or if you have not visited in a while, take this opportunity to come out and support a local treasure and learn about Seguin’s history. Admission is $3.00 per adult, $1.00 per child, $2.00 per senior citizen, $5.00 per couple, or free for museum members. Admission, donations, and membership renewals are now able to be accepted via Square. The museum also welcomes group tours for schools and senior groups.