The Faulkner County Museum, located on the Historic Faulkner County Courthouse Grounds at 801 Locust St., is celebrating its 30th birthday.

The museum was established Aug. 19, 1992, when a group of concerned residents, many who were members of the Faulkner County Historical Society, petitioned the Faulkner County Quorum Court to allow a museum to be established in the building being vacated by the Faulkner County Library.

After five years of fundraising and collecting artifacts, the museum opened its doors to the public in 1997. The museum showcases items from Faulkner County prehistory and history as well as maintains archival and documentary collections, art by Faulkner County artists, a teaching collection, an image collection and a research and reference collection.

Five years ago, the museum underwent an eight-month renovation to repair the roof, fix damaged walls and conduct mold eradication. Interior renovation is still underway and includes mechanical, electrical and plumbing upgrades as well as new interior spaces and finishes.

A new Legacy Walk now graces the entrance of the museum. Bricks may be purchased for $100 in memory of a loved one. Master Gardeners maintain the heritage gardens on the property and the museum will soon install its first quilt block as part of the Arkansas Quilt Trail project.

In the coming months, new exhibit spaces will be created, including restoring the front entry room back to its Faulkner County Jail days. A new exhibit showcasing the history of the Log Cabin Democrat newspaper is also in progress.

The museum is open to the public Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The museum’s website is: http://www.faulknercounty.org/faulkner countymuseum.org/

The 20th annual Museum Open House will be held Saturday, Oct. 29. For more information on the open house or the museum, contact Lynita Langley-Ware, museum director, at 501-329-5918 or email her at [email protected].