The Thistle Cottage in Greenville will celebrate a long awaited reopening, after closing in 2020 due to the pandemic.
Staffing shortages kept the museum and art gallery, operated by Muhlenberg County Public Libraries, from opening as restrictions lifted. Now fully staffed, the Thistle Cottage will open to the public once again on Feb. 21.
Formerly known as the Duncan Center, Thistle Cottage is also the home of the library’s genealogy annex. Moved there in 2019 when the new Harbin Memorial Library was built, the annex includes a wealth of materials for anyone interested in history or searching for family ties.
“It’s a work in progress,” said library director Janet Harris. She said they have spent the last few years completing the construction there, assessing their collection, and making needed repairs to the building. The building was originally built in 1912, and was the home of coal magnate William Duncan.
The library will celebrate the reopening with an open house from 2 to 7 p.m. on Feb. 21. They will also begin to host programs like the Youth Art Show on March 1. This show will bring the work of young artists in grades 4-8 to the Thistle Cottage gallery.
Harris said she is looking forward to having the facility open again. “The student art show is a great way to kick all of this off,” she said. “There’s so much talent in this county.”
The gallery will return to rotating shows from local and traveling artists and exhibits, as well as the permanent collections. Those include exhibits of local coal, business, and school histories.
Harris said she looks forward to bringing back some favorite traditions at the Thistle Cottage. A longtime favorite, the Mother’s Day Tea, may make a comeback this year. “Nothing official yet, but it’s in the works,” she said.
The space is also available for rentals again, and has been used for weddings and receptions, showers, and other small gatherings.
The Thistle Cottage, located at 122 South Cherry Street, will be open Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Appointments can be made with the genealogy annex by calling the main library at 270-338-4760.
