Blackwell Museum moving into new year with big changes and ideas

Blackwell’s Top of Oklahoma Historical Society Museum is leaving a busy 2023 behind and moving forward into 2024 with renovations, new displays, and more. They are also currently seeking historical family photographs for their Club Room and are encouraging Blackwell residents to submit any photos they may have.

Diane Braden with the Top of Oklahoma Historical Society Museum Board published a series of updates to the Museum’s Facebook Group, encouraging thise with historical photos to reach out.

“Do you have a family photo that we can use? Let’s say 40 years or older. We don’t have to have your picture. Use you camera phone and take a picture of the picture. Be sure to get as close as you can and no glass on top of the picture. You can email your picture to dbraden8@mac.com.”

Currently, the redesign of the Grand Room exhibits and the refurbishing of the Club Room are the final two big projects left as part of the Museum’s extensive remodeling with the The Grand Room having just been recarpeted- the 3000 sq feet area now has a fresh coat of paint as well.

This is the first time in 50 years the room has been updated.

The Club Room’s renovation is still underway with the design of “Twenty-first Century Victorian” which aims to preserve the Museum’s Victorian-era heritage while making it presentable and up to modern standards. The Club Room’s north wall was repaired by the City of Blackwell for the first time in several years. The wall’s plaster was decrepit from years of water damage.

“These changes will give Blackwell citizens an affordable place to entertain that they can be proud of renting,” Braden said, “We are still looking for blue and white plates of any size to use in the decorating of the Club Room. Thanks to the people who have donated.”

The Top of Oklahoma Museum has also just completed its third Oklahoma Historical Society grant. The grant pays for an inventory of the thousands of items in the museum, making every single item available for cataloging and historical records.