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Freeport Historical Museum cites record visitation, plans Oct. 22 ribbon-cutting for new education center
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Summary
The Freeport Historical Museum reported increased visitation and fundraising for a 2,000-square-foot Nat Hickey Education Center and noted city-approved pay raises for museum staff at the Oct. 6 Freeport City Council meeting.
Wade Dillon, director of the Freeport Historical Museum, told the Freeport City Council on Oct. 6 that the museum recorded 8,435 visitors in the previous fiscal year and has since grown its online following and program partnerships.
Dillon said the museum’s social media following surpassed 9,200 on Facebook and that the institution joined the American Alliance of Museums, Museums for All and Blue Star Museums over the past year. He told the council the museum moved to free admission in March 2025 and launched a membership program in May.
The museum director said he secured more than $10,000 in donations toward renovation of expansion space that the museum has named the Nat Hickey Education Center. Dillon said the center will add about 2,000 square feet for educational programming and community events and that a public ribbon-cutting is scheduled for Oct. 22 at 3 p.m.
Dillon also noted the city approved $12,000 in the museum’s budget for staff pay raises this fiscal year. “Instead of software, this pay raise directly impacts my team, improves the quality of life, and boosts morale,” Dillon said, adding that the raise moves staff closer to the statewide average for comparable positions.
Dillon contrasted the allocation with city spending on other line items, saying, “The $12,000 that was approved for the museum’s pay raises was important to me. To put that into perspective, dollars 12,000 was approved for the police department’s Microsoft Office software.”
The presentation summarized recent outreach and publicity: the museum hosted a Texian Rally tour, was featured in the Facts newspaper multiple times, and purchased quarterly ad space in Texas Highways magazine, Dillon said.
The council did not take additional action during the public-comment presentation portion of the meeting; the presentation was delivered as part of the citizens-comment agenda.
