An exhibit detailing Kansas City's LGBTQ history has been relocated to the Lohman Building after it was removed from the Missouri Capitol.
The exhibit was displayed for four days in the Missouri State Museum in the Capitol before it was taken down after the state Department of Natural Resources and Gov. Mike Parson's Office received complaints about it and some GOP lawmakers questioned why it was being shown.
It reopened in the Lohman Building, part of the Jefferson Landing State Historic Site, on Saturday, the DNR announced.
"We apologize for the way this unfolded," DNR Director Dru Buntin said in a news release. "We agree the history of all Missourians is an important story that needs to be told, and we've made a commitment to work with the members of the State Capitol Commission and the Board of Public Buildings to do so."
The exhibit, "Making History: Kansas City and The Rise of Gay Rights," was created by Missouri-Kansas City history students and explores the activism of Kansas City's LGBTQ community.
The exhibit is on loan to the Missouri State Museum from UMKC through the end of the year. The museum's interpretive and exhibit guidance shows exhibits on loan from other institutions like this one are often housed at Jefferson Landing State Historic Site, according to a DNR news release.
The DNR said it is charged with maintaining the state museum in the Capitol, but state law requires the museum to coordinate with the Board of Public Buildings for the use of space in the Capitol. The board has delegated responsibility for that coordination to the Missouri State Capitol Commission.
"In response to a number of concerns, we made the decision to move the exhibit while we clarified and reviewed our internal process to make sure we were complying with state law," Deputy Department Director Mike Sutherland said in the news release.
The Lohman Building is located adjacent to the Missouri state Capitol. The building will be closed today and Monday for Labor Day and will open again Tuesday.
The department is holding a public meeting Sept. 16 for the Missouri State Museum and Jefferson Landing State Historic Site for the public to attend. The meeting is 6 p.m. at the Riverside Collections Facility.