Wheaton's DuPage Historical Museum Wins Two Awards

The following is a press release from the Wheaton Park District:

The Wheaton Park District is proud to announce that the DuPage County Historical Museum has recently been presented with two awards for its temporary exhibit titled Early Illinois Folk Art: 1825-1925. 

First, the museum has been given an award of excellence from the Illinois Association of Museums for the folk art exhibit. The letter of recognition stated that the “interactive components of the exhibit were strong and promoting the exhibit at [the Fox Valley Antiques Show] was creative marketing.” The museum will be sponsoring this year’s antiques show, which will be held on October 19 (10 am-5 pm) and 20 (10 am-4 pm) at the Kane County Fairgrounds. For more information on the antiques show, visit http://www.csada.com/shows.php.

This folk art exhibit opened at the museum in spring 2013; since that time it has attracted more than 6,000 visitors. It features both functional and decorative artwork. The lives and communities of everyday people are explored through these unique handmade objects. From coverlets and decoys to weathervanes and whirligigs, folk art has a rich legacy in Illinois, and this exhibit beautifully captures the spirit of the artisans who created these objects.

This spirit is also reflected in the catalog published by the Wheaton Park District and the DuPage County Historical Museum, also titled Early Illinois Folk Art, 1925-1925. Graphic Design USA has presented the Wheaton Park District with the American Graphic Design Award for this catalog, which features many of the pieces showcased in the folk art exhibit, along with fascinating descriptions of why these pieces are historically relevant.

Sara Buttita, Educator at the DuPage County Historical Museum, says, “This is a significant honor for the museum since this is the first exhibit catalog we have published.  It represents over two years of work researching and selecting the artifacts for the exhibit. This exhibit was the first time that many of these artifacts were seen by the public and we are just delighted that the exhibit catalog reached a larger audience.”

The exhibit will run through October 27. The museum will host an open house for this exhibit on Saturday, October 19 from 6-9 pm. For more information about this event or the museum in general, visit dupagemuseum.org.