The Galena Rotary Club awarded the Galena and US Grant History Museum a $10,000 grant for the new museum which opened November 12, 2026. The museum project was part of Galena 2020 Visioning and took decades to plan and build.
The grant will be used for exhibits in the new museum, located at 517 Bouthillier Street. The museum is a fantastic addition to Galena and provides much needed improvements over the previous location, including climate control, security, and all the features of a 21st century museum complex.
The grand opening drew hundreds to the new museum and the public were delighted with it. The exhibits are not all in place but more is being added every day. The belle of the ball is, of course, Thomas Nast's "Peace in Union," a gift to the City of Galena from Herman Henry Kohlsaat in 1890. Restoring the painting and displaying it in the proper environment has been a long sought after goal of many Galenians.
If you did not make it to the grand opening, please do yourself a favor and visit the new museum at your first opportunity!
Rotarians present check to museum director and board members.
Left to right: Rotarians Brian Schoenrock, Jim Berberet, Lynn Gallagher, and Andy Willis present the check to Executive Director Tessa Flack, President Doug Hilgendorf, Rotarian/Museum Advocate David Eaton, and Rotarian/Museum Advocate Tim Vincent