By PHYLLIS ZORN

Staff writer

Guests at Saturday’s open house at Marion Historical Museum got to see artifacts, learn about upcoming programs, and explore the museum.

Neal Whitaker, museum board member, said a patron program is new this year. People can donate $25 each year and have their name included on a donor list. People who donate $1,000 are listed as “lifetime donors.”

The museum would like to find off-site storage so exhibits can be rotated, giving the museum an “always fresh” feeling to entice visitors to come again and again.

“Storage space is something we’re trying to address,” Whitaker said.

Meanwhile the process of digitizing artifacts, which started more than a year ago, continues. Special programs like a wagon train dolls workshop scheduled for Saturday and an upcoming slingshot-making workshop are meant to encourage children to develop a love of history.