Jean Nels, a longtime volunteer at the Mount Shasta Sisson Historical Museum, asked the City Council for continued financial support Thursday, describing decades of volunteer work, rotating exhibits and what she said are strong visitor numbers.

"We provide unique learning experiences. We preserve our history," Nels told the council during a presentation that reviewed the museum’s founding, exhibits on logging and geology, and partnerships with local volunteers and organizations. She said the museum averages about 14,000 visitors a year and has hosted nearly 600,000 visitors since it opened in 1983.

Nels described interactive exhibits and educational programming for families and schools and cited recent survey work collecting roughly 1,500 responses between 2023 and 2025 that showed high levels of visitor satisfaction. She asked the council to consider a $5,000 donation to help cover operating and exhibit costs.

Councilors thanked the museum’s volunteers and noted the museum’s potential role in marking the city’s centennial. A councilor moved to approve a $5,000 donation to the Mount Shasta Sisson Historical Museum; the motion was seconded and passed by unanimous voice vote.

The council’s approved contribution is a one-time operating support payment; Nels said the museum also receives in-kind support through a lease arrangement and volunteer labor. The museum’s leaders encouraged residents to volunteer and buy memberships, which Nels said start at $25 annually.

The council meeting record indicates the donation will be included in upcoming disbursements; the museum presentation and the council’s vote concluded with an invitation for council members to tour the museum.