Earlier this year the Gage County Museum in Beatrice was closed for a period of time to give the museum staff time to give the inside a new floor plan.

From December 19th of last year thru January 14th of this year the museum was undergoing a new look inside.

Director of the Museum Cassandra Dean says a change in exhibits was planned so exhibits and displays were accessible to everyone.

Dean says changes were made "to make it more accessible for people who come in wheelchairs or crutches could access our museum a little bit better, but also to give our museum a fresh look. Some of the exhibits had not changed in a long time. If we wanted people to come in and see the museum we had to have new exhibits showings”

Dean says visitors will notice a change as soon as they walk into the front door of the museum.

“When you first walk into the museum we rearranged the lobby area. When you first walk in and look to the right you are going to see a brand new exhibit about Gage County railroad history. There are going to be pictures of every railroad depot that were built in Gage County. We thought that should be the first exhibit that you see when you walk into the door."

Dean says several new exhibits were added in the south gallery of the museum. Among the new additions are exhibits spotlighting the history of the Beatrice Airport, Historical Houses of Gage County and a feature on the Kilpatrick Brothers spotlighting Samuel Kilpatrick was the next person to file after Daniel Freeman under the Homestead Act.

The new floor plan also includes an exhibit spotlighting the history of KWBE radio.

“KWBE started out as the Blue Valley Broadcasting company in 1947 and it received a grant from the Federal Communication Commission for the radio station in 1949. And on June 12, 1949 KWBE goes on air”

Dean says visitors will see photos and promotional items of KWBE over the past 73 years.

She says "we have some items on display. We have KWBE buttons, mugs and tin plates that were used as giveaways for the past 50 years. We have put up pictures of the installation of the radio tower in 1962. We do have a reproduction of table radio that was given to KWBE for its 40 anniversary. Those are some items you will see on display.”

The Museum is open Thursday thru Saturday 10 A-M to 4 P-M. The museum will be open Wednesday thru Saturday starting April.