CORINTH — A northern Mississippi museum has set a closing schedule and put all 2019 events on hold due to funding cuts.
The Crossroads Museum in Corinth is set to close from Dec. 1 through Jan. 31, The Daily Corinthian reported. Executive Director Brandy Steen said museum officials will decide in February whether to dissolve the museum or reopen it in the summer with limited hours.
Alcorn County decided to stop funding the museum after handing over ownership of the property to the city. Corinth’s proposed budget includes $12,000 for the museum, which Steen said would fund no more than about three months of operations.
If operations continue as normal in the coming fiscal year, the museum expects to collect about $17,000 in fees and income. It previously had lost $12,000 in annual rental income with the departure of some Coca-Cola memorabilia.
The decision to close comes at a time when the museum is on the verge of obtaining a large Civil War collection that is said to be of rare quality and focused on Corinth. It is also moving forward with the structure to house the city’s antique firetruck and to serve as a railroad viewing platform.
If the Crossroads Museum decides to shut down for good, arrangements will be made for the owners of artifacts on loan to retrieve them.
Steen said members of the museum board hope that local residents who care about having a museum will voice their support.
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