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Riley County Historical Museum reports lower September attendance, rising volunteer hours and program plans
Summary
Director Catherine Hensler told the county commission that September visitation fell slightly but volunteer hours rose; the museum plans deaccessioning of nonlocal books, several public programs and a December board-game playtest.
September was a "lower attendance month, which is kind of traditional," Catherine Hensler, director of the Raleigh County Historical Museum, told the Riley County Board of County Commissioners on Oct. 20.
Hensler said the museum recorded 167 visitors in September, with additional site counts of 50 at the Goodno House, 15 at the Wolf House, 34 at the Pioneer Log Cabin and 138 for programs and outreach. She said volunteer hours were strong: 144 hours from general volunteers and interns, plus about 122.5 hours from the historical society board, for roughly 270 volunteer hours in the month.
The museum reported six incoming donations from six donors comprising 71 objects and said it expects a substantial increase in deaccessions over the next two to three months as it removes books that do not meet the museum collection criteria. Hensler said the books will be transferred to other institutions rather than discarded.
Hensler walked commissioners through recent and upcoming programs: a joint presentation with the Flint Hills Discovery Center, Humanities Kansas–funded Kansas music history programming at the Manhattan Public Library, a walking tour of Sunset Cemetery and a new free "true crime" presentation at the Arrow Cocktail Lounge on Oct. 22. She also described a December play-test party for a new museum board game, Progress in Peril: On the Trail to Kansas, set for Dec. 13 at the Manhattan Public Library.
On operations and staffing, Hensler said the museum currently hosts three interns (two K-State students and one independent intern), is accepting applications for spring 2026 internships and that interns are processed through county HR. She also reported work to reorganize temporary storage, purchase rolling shelves with historical society funds, and a prospective exterior restoration project at the Wolf Studio.
The historical society will hold its annual membership meeting on Nov. 18 at 6 p.m. at the Manhattan Public Library; Hensler said membership rates will rise slightly in 2026 and that new discount categories for seniors, veterans and students will be introduced.
Hensler closed by inviting commissioners and the public to visit the collection and noted that some programs and collections work are grant-supported and run through the society as a private nonprofit.
