The basic nature of any museum is to get hold of, research, preserve and exhibit the heritage of human race and its environment for study, education and enjoyment. Bartholomew County Historical Society Museum aims at collecting and preserving artifacts, documents and photographs related to Bartholomew County.
They believe that to know our present position in the history of humanity, we should first know our past, our heritage. They do this with the help of displays and interpretative programs. Bartholomew County Historical Society, also called BCHS, had its first meeting on 3rd of April, 1921. The major aim of this meeting was to get a group engaged in collection and preservation of history and biography of the county and the state and exhibit it in proper way. This can be regarded as the foundation of the museum.
The very first collection of this group was a bunch of manuscripts and papers on the history of Bartholomew County which proved to be a very useful primary source of historical information. George Pence, who was the first President of the society, had acquired this collection. In 1926, Bartholomew County Historical Society was given the permission to use the court house basement as a place for museum. Furniture was donated by local people in the beginning. Civil war items were the initial collection. Later on the museum got a good response and the collection went on increasing; so in 1973 the museum had to be shifted to its present address.
The noteworthy attractions of this museum in present day are, "Primitive to Masterful, Woodworkers in Bartholomew County" ,"A Baby Boomer's Christmas", "Our Heroes, Firefighters in Bartholomew County", "The Reeves, a Family of Inventors", "A Peek in our Attic" and so on. Special attention is always given to the preservation of history; be it local history, state history or national American history. Other themes of lovely art gallery of this museum are toys, agriculture, furniture, automotive, architecture, woodworking, inventions, fighting, and war and many others. Apart from this the four rotating galleries and the educational gardens also add to the fame of this museum.
The museum is located in downtown Columbus in Indiana. It is open from 9 am to 4 pm from Tuesday to Friday and nominal entry fees are charged as donation. Volunteers are always invited and the museum is also looking for a Museum Educator. Heritage Art Classes are held here and every alternate year Home tours are arranged so that the special old furniture treasured for generations in private houses does not go unnoticed and unappreciated.
This is a very praiseworthy effort made by the Bartholomew County Historical Society Museum to behold the heritage and pass it over to future generations.
