Harrison County Historical Museum adapting to funding cuts

MARSHALL, Texas (KTAL/KMSS) — Harrison County Historical Museum Executive Director Tina McGuffin loves the work she does. That work is a little more complicated now.

March executive orders from President Donald Trump called for the elimination of the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences and the cancellation of National Endowment for the Humanities grants.

That move is expected to cut federal funding for museums and libraries from $300 million to $5.5 million, a 98 percent cut. The hit to the Harrison County Historical Museum’s budget is approximately 20 percent.

The museum is more than just exhibits and pictures. The funding also goes towards the Inez Hatley Hughes Research Center, a research center with decades worth of documents. From researching family land to family members’ school transcripts, county documents of all kinds can be found there.

However, the museum requires funding to operate. All exhibits, sites, and research provided by the museum are available to the public at no cost. While the museum accepts donations and receives local funding, the loss of federal funds is creating a new puzzle to solve.

The museum cannot do much good if it cannot stay open. The museum requires funding for staffing and operational expenses to continue providing the services for which it is known.

Despite the difficulties, McGuffin and her staff are committed to safeguarding our history.