Sixteen months after closing its doors because of the COVID-19 pandemic, America's National Churchill Museum held its grand reopening Friday with an appearance by Gov. Mike Parson.
Parson visited the National Churchill Museum in Fulton for the latest stop in his Bicentennial Tour around the state.
"To be here in Fulton today to be able to celebrate this event, and have the representation of the British ambassador here also today, with a lot of other dignitaries that are sitting behind me today, means a great deal to me to be a part of this ceremony," Parson said.
America's National Churchill Museum, located on the Westminster College campus, is dedicated to showcasing the life and legacy of Winston Churchill, the former prime minister of the United Kingdom.
Churchill delivered his famous Iron Curtain speech in 1946 at Westminster College.
The museum closed March 15, 2020, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now, the National Churchill Museum is celebrating its reopening with a weekend of events, including the unveiling of a new acquisition, an ice cream social, live music and gallery talks.
The museum also announced it secured $1.3 million in donations since its closure and a $3 million commitment in new bond funding from Westminster College.
The new funds will go toward an extensive water mitigation project critical for the building's structure.
Parson said his Bicentennial Tour has reminded him of the significant people that have made an impact in Missouri and how they have shaped the course of history to be what it is today.
He said the state's Bicentennial celebration Sept. 18 at the state Capitol will bring all of the state's counties and history together.
"We would love for this to be part of that celebration," Parson said.
Parson said his office has been planning the statewide celebrations for a while and is assessing COVID-19 conditions daily to understand how the rise in cases could impact planned events.
"We hope and we believe we'll be able to have all the events we got planned," Parson said. "It's very important, the Bicentennial, but more important is the safety of Missourians we'll just have to see how that goes and see how it looks closer to that time."
Parson said the state's 200-year anniversary celebrations and the state fair will be used to encourage COVID-19 vaccines, with vaccine, testing and sanitization sites available.