BENTONVILLE -- The Bentonville Historical Museum will get a financial boost to raise awareness of its effort to develop a place to preserve and display Bentonville history.
The Advertising and Promotions Commission agreed Thursday to give the organization $2,500 to create a website and other awareness material.
The Bentonville Historical Museum's mission is to "preserve the past for the future through collecting, displaying and educating," according to a proposal from museum board members Becky McCoy and Debbie Matteri.
The organization has partnered with the Rogers Historical Museum to collect and hold Bentonville memorabilia until they can be displayed locally, the board members said.
The money requested would be used to develop a website and other material such as brochures to get the word out about the museum's plans, McCoy said.
"We are really on square one," she said.
Marketing is one of the museum board's top goals. The others include planning, facility development, fundraising and finance, according to the funding proposal.
The idea is to eventually find a venue downtown for the museum. It can be another stop for tourists visiting the city, McCoy said.
Commissioner Amanda Webb with Comfort Suites said she'd be willing for a display to be set up in the hotel's lobby. Commissioners then discussed having a display in the rotation for the Visit Bentonville lobby.
Kalene Griffith, Visit Bentonville president and CEO, said she's received calls about what the museum has been working on, and a website would help get the word out about its activities.
"As much history is here, we should have a historical museum," she said.
Griffith is also serving as the museum board's chairwoman.
Those who have and would like to donate historical items should bring them to the Rogers Historical Museum, McCoy said.
NW News on 04/29/2016