To read the official announcement of its closing that was issued by the Ray Bradbury Experience Museum, click on the link below:

https://raybradburyexperiencemuseum.org

From today's Chicago Tribune, RAY BRADBURY MUSEUM GROUP CEASES OPERATIONS:

"After spending nearly six years doing the necessary work to establish a museum to honor the legacy of world-renowned author Ray Bradbury in his hometown of Waukegan, the Ray Bradbury Experience Museum is passing the torch.

"Sandy Petroshius, the committee chair, said the original goal of the group was developing plans for a permanent museum perpetuating Bradbury's legacy in downtown Waukegan. It put exhibits together and briefly had a temporary location. Others will continue.

" 'Now with the Ray Bradbury collection being housed at the future Waukegan History Museum at the Carnegie, thousands of Bradbury fans will be attracted,' Petroshius said, referring to the building where the authors first developed a thirst for reading.

"The Ray Bradbury Experience Museum Committee ceased formal operations Wednesday because it was unable to find an institutional partner to help it develop a permanent site in downtown Waukegan, and the collaboration of others will keep the authors legacy alive.

" 'Working with our dedicated volunteers over the years has been a true reward,' Petroshius said. 'Together we've greeted visitors from throughout the United States, Argentina, the United Kingdom and other countries.'

"Petroshius said the committee had online followers from as far away as Russia, Finland and beyond.

"When the committee began its efforts in 2015 and formally organized two years later, she said the Carnegie Library - built in 1903 - was in danger of demolition and the collection Bradbury willed to the Waukegan Public Library was in storage there.

" "We worked for nearly seven years during COVID, and we had to face the reality a permanent museum in Waukegan was not an ideal mission for us at this time,' Petroshius said.

"As the committee worked toward establishing a permanent museum, she said in an email the committee held events, readings and performances in Waukegan, It also took exhibits to national and regional celebrations of Bradbury.

"While to committee was continuing with its efforts - operating for a time at the HUB on Genesee Street in downtown Waukegan - the Waukegan Park District acquired the Carnegie building from the city and began its renovation into the history museum.

"For approximately the past three years the Park District made plans for the museum and began renovations. It worked with the library to acquire the collection. It will be housed in a recreation of the children's reading room, where Bradbury spent many days reading in his youth.

"As plans for the museum continue and opportunities arise to honor Bradbury's legacy in the future, Petroshius said she hopes some of the members of the committee will be able to participate.

"'We hope more collaboration is ahead bringing Bradbury signage and tours to attract even more people to all the Bradbury sites - the library, the renovated Carnegie, Ray Bradbury Park and Bradbury-themed bars and restaurants,' she said.

"With the committee's Bradbury exhibits and materials now stored at the library, Petroshius said she hopes as individuals they will be able to use those items to help people celebrate the author."

Actress Hilarie Burton Morgan ("One Tree Hill") is a huge Ray Bradbury fan and, for Ray's 100th birthday, she created a video in which she urged folks to make a contribution to the Ray Bradbury Experience Museum. While sadly that Museum no longer exists, the video does. In it, Ms. Morgan reads Ray's wonderful introduction to the 1975 Knopf re-issue of DANDELION WINE, and is in tears as she reaches its conclusion. It is very touching and very well done, and can be viewed by clicking on the link below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Y0BGHK02lI

What a wonderful reading of Mr. Bradbury's magical words that flow from each page of Dandelion Wine. It is a literary work of art I was so honored to teach throughout my classroom years. Ironically, though I was an RB fan even in my youthful HS years starting with this GAOS edition: https://pictures.abebooks.com/...tory/11654814112.jpg

On my initial walk through the halls...when I arrived at the dept. book room and was being shown the titles and authors I could present as a new teacher in gr. 7-9, this classic DW cover caught my attention in a "Discard" box: https://m.media-amazon.com/ima...JXIohsmL._SL350_.jpg

The collection had been well used prior my arrival and but not had recent use. I immediately gathered up a number of still quite viable copies and carried them to my first classroom setting.

Once familiar with my experienced fellow staff members, the annual purchase of Ray Bradbury titles was consistently OK'd, and major units enjoyed these works at 7-12 levels: Illustrated Man, Fahrenheit 451, Golden Apples of the Sun, Dandelion Wine, Something Wicked This Way Comes, The Martian Chronicles, and countess short stories from RB's major collections.

Miss Morgan's reading (above) is captivating. I grew up in a town much like Green Town. The fairground was just a few blocks away and easily arrived at through the back fields. The trains passed under a bridge and along the river and could be heard several times throughout the day and into the late evening. We played games along a few hills that at night became a place much like the Ravine. There were old, very large Victorian homes that never seemed to have anyone living in them, although at night there would be lights on and smoke rising from the chimneys. And every group of youngsters had interesting stories to tell about their grandparents' unusual foods, magic they had witnessed, and the occasional small glass of homemade wine that had been either tasted with Grandpa or stealthily procured from a cool cellar storage closet.

The story of Dandelion Wine, in the hands and from the hearts of a truly inspired cinema production team, would engage all viewers. A mix of "Mockingbird-Something Wicked-Wonderful Life" with today's big screen and audio technologies could, like Miss Morgan's response to Mr. Bradbury's words and metaphors, prove captivating - still today!