Current Exhibits

Chatter From Left Field
Opening April 12, 2025

"Hey Batter, Batter ... Swing Batter"

There will be a grand opening celebration of our new Baseball Exhibit featuring the Merrill Lady Cardinals (1943-1945) and the Merrill Rangers (1948-1962) baseball teams on Saturday, April 12th...including some interactive displays, with fun games and prizes for the opening—featuring a dice baseball playoff between Tom Burg and Bill Heideman—both rabid baseball fans. You too can take a turn at trying to beat one of these dice baseball greats. Games will be for sale as well.

We look forward to sharing the stories of baseball history that brought the community together as they cheered on our local teams. From the inception of the Lady Cardinals during WWII to the regrouping of the Merrill Merchants into the successful semi-pro Merrill Rangers team of the 1950s.

BECOME A FAN IN THE STANDS! Put yourself, a father, mother, grandfather, grandmother, child, grandchild….you get the idea… in the “stands” of the exhibit. This exhibit will be up for two years and if you hurry to sign up before April 4th, it will only cost $5 for each photograph. After that date, the cost of joining the fans in the stands will be $20 for each photograph.

Submit an old photograph, a current photograph, or come in and have your photo taken at the Museum. These will be head shots as shown. Please call or email for information on how to submit your photograph or have one taken. We would like your commitment ASAP. These spots may sell out so be sure to get in early.

Thank you to our Sponsors: Weinbrenner USA Shoe Company, Westside Market, The Beacon, Reindl Printing, Lincolnwood, Merrill Distributing, and Park City Credit Union

Keeping Up Appearances -

(Wood, Coal, Kerosene, Electricity - What do they have to do with ironing?)

Do you remember ironing? Maybe you are one of the few who still irons their clothes today. Revisit a time when washing and ironing took an entire day or more to complete.
There are more than 60 individual and unique restored irons with the earliest being a “sad iron” dated 1758 and progressing through the electric irons of the 1970s.
Numerous washing devices, early washing soaps and detergents, along with the history of the clothespin (patented in 1832).

This Exhibit will be closed December 31, 2024. We hope you were able to come in and enjoy this look at the 1960s to 80s culture of early "Horror Movies." Thank you Brandon Johnson for the extensive research put in to make this a success. Brandon has been working on a book about Bill Rebane and his Hollywood Midwest career which will hopefully be out in 2025.

CLOSED

Director Bill Rebane's Hollywood Midwest
Archival materials and memorabilia cover the now-cult films from the 1960s through '80s, including "Monster A-Go-Go," "Rana: Legend of Shadow Lake," "Blood Harvest" starring Tiny Tim, and one of the top-grossing films of 1975, "The Giant Spider Invasion." One of the original giant spiders, recently saved from destruction, will be on display, partially restored to its original state to show how difficult it was before the digital age to create special effects for creature features.

Discover the Displays at the Museum

What if I didn't pay taxes, what would I miss?

Remember When...a bit of nostalgia.

Woman's Work...What did Women do in the 1950s-60s?

Mid Century Cats...What did the 1950s-60s have in common with cats?

Refreshed displays:

Scott Mansion artifacts and stories.

Vintage fishing equipment - you need that perfect lure to catch your fish.
Kitchen Vintage - So many ways to toast a slice of bread!
Pocket Watch Holders - a Victorian collection of Bea Lebal.