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Our History
In 1972, Dr. and Mrs. E.A. Weinheimer donated the animal
trophies he had acquired on various Big Game Hunts to the City of El Campo.
They included in their donation the building which had housed his first
medical clinic, which was remodeled to accommodate his collection as well as the El Campo Chamber of Commerce. The animals were
displayed in the back room, mounted on the mall or standing on the floor in no
particular order. The Chamber became the caretakers of the collection,
although the city retained ownership.
In 1978, the Chamber of Commerce encouraged a
group of volunteers to apply for the charter to become the El Campo Museum
of Art, History, and Natural Science. The museum board of directors
adopted a mission statement and set the goal to develop the collection into
a museum-quality presentation of the animals in replicas of their natural
habitats and environments. Local volunteers, many of whom were
artists, researched, planned, and produced a visual habitat for animals
grouped geographically, using landscape murals and replicas of natural
settings.
Exhibits being completed during this period were
the African and Arctic Exhibits in 1978, and the Great Cats Jungle Exhibit
in 1979. The exhibits, as well as the Waterfowl Exhibit of the
mid-1980s, attracted visitors to the Museum and membership began to grow.
The Museum became known locally for its
elaborate display of Christmas decorations, and Santa Claus became a
seasonal favorite for the young and old who came to visit. The Museum
became established as a permanent cultural and educational resource in the
area.
In 1989 the City of El Campo opened a new Civic
Center and the Museum agreed to move to its present location in the Center.
Original murals of the African and Waterfowl Exhibits, as well as all of the
trophy animals were also moved, and new dioramas were built.
In 1991, a popular Texas Exhibit of animals
native to South Texas was added. In 1996 the Museum was renovated, and
amended its charter to be named the El Campo Museum of Natural History.
An Alaskan Brown Bear exhibit was added, as were interactive computers and
informative light boxes to complement the exhibits. These interactive
additions helped the El Campo Museum to become a multi-media learning
institution for the man visitors who travel to our area.
To learn about the museum today,
click here.
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El Campo Chamber of Commerce
The building in which the museum
was
originally housed.
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