With its future in doubt, the Rock Island Arsenal Museum will host a town hall meeting Wednesday night. Local residents are invited to comment and ask questions following cuts in staff and hours, and the possible re-location of many of its artifacts.
The president of the Rock Island Arsenal Historical Society, Jim Jochum, says the museum is currently storing 13,000 artifacts, and the Army recently announced plans to move 25 per cent, or about 3,000, to storage in Alabama.
He also doesn't understand the reason to transfer them from storage here to storage in Anniston, Alabama, but the current displays in the museum would not be affected.
Jochum says four years ago, it had a staff of six - in recent years though that's been cut to 3, and earlier this year it dropped to just one and the museum is only open in the afternoon (noon-4), Tuesday through Friday.
The Rock Island Arsenal Museum opened in 1905, and is the Army's second oldest museum.
Wednesday night's town hall meeting will be held in the museum's theater, and begin at 5:30.
