PEORIA, Ill. – The Peoria Riverfront Museum announced at its State of the Museum on Tuesday night, an acclaimed filmmaker will be a guest curator for an exhibit celebrating the nation’s upcoming 250th birthday.
Ken Burns, known for his many documentaries about American life, will oversee a one-of-a-kind, original exhibit featuring the most important historical American objects of art, science, history, and achievement ever to be assembled in the greater Peoria area, the museum says.
“We share an enthusiasm for the many American stories that make us one,” Ken Burns says. “It is exciting to be involved with this unique multidisciplinary museum as we use the stories of history to light the way to a brighter future.”
Burns’ relationship with the Peoria area began in 2022, when the Peoria Riverfront Museum hosted an exhibition of the filmmaker’s private quilt collection.
The museum subsequently produced a book about the collection called “Uncovered: The Ken Burns collection.
In his role as a guest curator, Burns will serve as advisor to the museum’s chief curator Bill Conger and staff as they prepare for the original America 250 exhibition…scheduled to open in early 2026.
Peoria Riverfront Museum is planning a series of programs, speakers, films, digital content, and themed activities anchored by the America 250 exhibition, according to the museum’s President and CEO John Morris.
To learn more about what’s going on at Peoria Riverfront Museum, click HERE.
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