The Bartholomew County Historical Society museum is tentatively scheduled to reopen on April 6.
Since this year marks the bicentennial of Columbus and Bartholomew County, Jason Hatton, historical society board president, said special programs and exhibits are being prepared to bring local residents seeking to view their own history.
For nearly a year, the museum — headquartered in the historic McEwen-Samuels-Marr house at 524 Third St. — has been closed.
But museum officials are hopeful the current downward trend in COVID-19 cases will continue as more residents get vaccinated against the virus, Hatton said. The museum will be open by appointment only by calling 812-372-3542.
The reopening is being planned as a key employee at the historical society is preparing to leave after nearly a decade.
Education and Programs manager Adam Rediker has accepted another job that Hatton said will bring him more opportunities than what is available to him now.
A 2009 Columbus East High School graduate, the 32-year-old Rediker first began working as an intern at the museum in 2012, and was eventually hired as an employee.
“I was gutted when Adam told me the news that he was moving on,” Hatton said. “We’re very sad to see him go.”
In recent years, Rediker has taken on multiple responsibilities that the board of directors feel cannot be handled by one person, Hatton said.
So the departure of Rediker has prompted the board of directors to announce they will be hiring two people to fill Rediker’s shoes, an education and collection manager and a museum manager, he said.
The museum manager position should not be confused with the historical society executive director position. Diane Robbins holds that job, and will remain the top administrator for the organization for her fourth consecutive year.
The person who becomes museum manager will largely take care of the museum and its visitors, Hatton said. The other position is educational, and will involved spending much time visiting schools, institutions and events with the goal of connecting local history with local people, he said.
While the past year has been extremely difficult for the historical society, Hatton says all cultural organizations had to face the same financial struggles.
“People can’t come in because we’ve had to close the doors,” Hatton said. “We’ve continued to engage virtually as much as we can.”
