Springfield, OR – After six months of behind-the-scenes collections care and gallery renovations, the Springfield History Museum will reopen to the public on Friday, July 10, at 10:00 a.m., inviting visitors to experience a refreshed museum and a new exhibit exploring the history of farm labor in the Willamette Valley.
During the closure, museum staff, volunteers, and University of Oregon interns carefully researched, documented, photographed, and rehoused more than 300 artifacts in archival-quality storage materials, helping preserve Springfield’s history for future generations.
“This closure gave us the time and space to care for our collection and strengthen our role as stewards of Springfield’s history,” said Museum Curator Maddi McGraw. “We are excited to reopen with an updated gallery and an exhibit that highlights stories that have shaped our region.”
The museum also completed significant renovations to the Kathy Jensen Gallery thanks to generous support from community donors, Oregon Heritage, and the Fred W. Fields Fund of Oregon Community Foundation.
The renovated gallery features new flooring, updated exhibit cases, improved interpretive signage, and new reception and gift shop furnishings, creating a more flexible and welcoming space for visitors.
“The renovated gallery gives us new opportunities for exhibit design, educational programming, and community engagement,” McGraw said. “We think visitors will immediately notice the difference.”
Opening alongside the museum is Farm Labor in the Valley, a new special exhibit developed in collaboration with community historians Nancy Bray and Herb Everett. The exhibit highlights the people, cultures, and movements that helped shape agriculture in the Willamette Valley while preserving stories that are often underrepresented in traditional historical narratives.
The exhibit reflects the Museum’s ongoing commitment to preserving and sharing the stories that have shaped Springfield and the surrounding region.
“The Springfield History Museum helps preserve the stories that define who we are as a community,” said Mayor Sean VanGordon. “These renovations and this new exhibit ensure future generations can better understand the people, cultures, and events that helped shape Springfield and the Willamette Valley.”
On display through December 26, 2026, the exhibit explores the history and diversity of farm workers in the Willamette Valley and Lane County from pre-colonization to the present. Through photographs, artifacts, oral histories, and archival materials, visitors will discover stories of Indigenous stewards, Filipino workers in the hop fields, the Farm Workers’ Rights Movement, the United Farm Workers, local labor organizing efforts, and the individuals who helped shape agriculture throughout our region.
Featured artifacts include materials collected by Eugene Friends of the Farm Workers, including a rare 1975 home movie documenting a Solidarity picket line at Safeway, a protest at the University of Oregon, and the March on Gallo in Modesto, California.
The Springfield History Museum is located at 590 Main Street and admission is always free.
Visitors are invited to explore the museum’s exhibits, attend upcoming programs, and browse nearly 7,000 historical records through the museum’s online collections catalog.
What: Springfield History Museum Reopening and Farm Labor in the Valley Exhibit
When: Friday, July 10, 2026, beginning at 10:00 a.m.
Where: Springfield History Museum, 590 Main Street, Springfield
For museum programs, events, and collections, follow the Springfield History Museum on Facebook and Instagram or visit wheremindsgrow.org.
For more information, please contact Maddi McGraw, Museum Curator at 541-726-3677 or mmcgraw@springfield-or.gov
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About Springfield History Museum
Managed by the Springfield Public Library, the Springfield History Museum serves as the City’s official historical repository and interpretive center. The Museum’s mission is to foster awareness of Springfield’s history, connect the past to the present, and celebrate the diverse communities that call Springfield and rural east Lane County home.
Regular museum hours are Thursday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. Admission is always free.
