Civil War museum giving visitors a sneak peek

Artifacts such as these are among the approximately 100 items on display in the temporary Civil War Museum of Ohio in Tiffin. THE BLADE/LISA DUTTON Enlarge | Photo Reprints

Civil War Museum of Ohio President Mark Young. THE BLADE/LISA DUTTON Enlarge | Photo Reprints

TIFFIN - Although its new home in downtown Tiffin is still months from opening, the American Civil War Museum of Ohio is offering visitors a glimpse of what's to come at a locale next door.

The "temporary museum" at 207 South Washington St. is open from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Admission is free.

"It's an 1,100-square-foot building right next door to the permanent site. It's perfect. You can look out the window and see the permanent location," said Mark Young, museum president. "We have several exhibits - maybe 100 artifacts out - so people can get an idea of what it is we are going to be offering."

Mr. Young opened the original American Civil War Museum of Ohio late in 2006 at a former church in downtown Bowling Green but closed it in January, 2009, because income from admissions and the gift shop were not enough to pay the bills.

Officials in Tiffin encouraged him to bring his museum to their city, and began working with him on a plan to remodel and occupy the Cornerstone Building, a 1915 Federalist-style building that once served as the local post office.

Some $545,000 has been raised to install new heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems and convert the building to a museum. The money includes $200,000 from the Ohio Department of Development as well as contributions from the city and three local foundations.

Rich Focht, president and chief executive officer of Seneca Industrial and Economic Development Corp. and co-owner of the Cornerstone Building, said that as a condition of receiving the state dollars, the project has to be done by the end of the year. He hopes for renovation to begin in August.

"We're planning to have it opened before Thanksgiving," Mr. Focht said. "We're looking forward to it."

When finished, the museum is to have more than 10,000 square feet of exhibit and research space.

At the temporary location, Mr. Young said, he will be training volunteers so that they're ready to go when the permanent museum opens.

"I hear the same thing over and over again: 'We can't wait until the big museum is open,'" Mr. Young said. "I think it's all going to be very worth it. There's a lot of support here, and we plan on giving them the best possible product we can."

For more information or to volunteer, go to acwmo.org.