HR0919 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0919 LRB101 22186 LAW 73214 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate the Elgin Public Museum of Natural History and Anthropology on the occasion of its 100th anniversary on November 12, 2020; and

WHEREAS, The mission of the Elgin Public Museum, a registered 501(c)3 non-profit corporation, is to enhance the knowledge of the natural sciences and anthropology through the use of exhibits and interactive experiences; and

WHEREAS, The purpose of the Elgin Public Museum is to promote a comprehension and appreciation of both the natural world and other cultures, both past and present, and to increase awareness of the consequences of the decisions human cultures have made through time; and

WHEREAS, The Elgin Public Museum offers exhibits and educational programs with natural history and cultural themes for families, school groups, Scouts, clubs, organizations, homeschoolers, and anyone who wants to have fun while learning; and

WHEREAS, The Elgin Public Museum is situated within Lords Park, located on Elgin's east side, and is the only natural history museum in the Fox Valley area; its building was designed by noted architect David Postle in 1904; and

WHEREAS, During the Depression Era, the Elgin Public Museum served the community by providing a low cost way for visitors to forget the difficulties many were facing at the time; as a result, attendance remained high during this period; and

WHEREAS, The Elgin Public Museum continued to serve the community and made history in 1996 when, under the leadership of Director Nancy Epping, it began the process of complying with the recently-passed Americans with Disabilities Act to offer greater accessibility; and

WHEREAS, Recently, the Elgin Public Museum has experienced a decrease in funding due to fallout from the Great Recession; despite this, it had an excellent year in 2019 and made great contributions to local education and tourism, which included 130 school programs, Scout programs, and special events; and

WHEREAS, Since the COVID-19 outbreak, the Elgin Public Museum has strongly enforced mandatory masks and occupancy limits, so it can continue to provide crucial entertainment and distraction to the community, not unlike it did years ago during the Great Depression; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the Elgin Public Museum of Natural History and Anthropology on its 100th anniversary and commend it for continuing to play such an important role in the Elgin community; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the members of the Elgin Public Museum of Natural History and Anthropology Board as an expression of our esteem and respect.