KANSAS CITY, KAN. ----- The Strawberry Hill Ethnic Museum & Cultural Center, located at 720 N. 4th Street, in Kansas City, Kan., will begin their 25th Anniversary Celebration on Saturday, July 6, 2013, and will run through Sunday, July 28, 2013.
Enjoy visiting the museum on every Saturday and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. The Strawberry Hill Museum will be giving away a Strawberry Hill Cooler to the first 25 guests on Saturday and Sunday during the month of July.
Marijana Grisnik, a Croatian-American artist, has painted a special piece of work she created in honor of the Museum’s 25th Anniversary that will be dedicated and placed in a permanent location.
The Victorian Mansion was built in 1887 for John B. Scroggs, a prominent attorney in Wyandotte County and his wife Margaret Cruise-Scroggs. In 1919, the mansion became the St. John Orphanage and in 1988 the mansion/orphanage became the Strawberry Hill Museum dedicated to preserving the ethnic cultures of the surrounding areas.
During the Christmas Season the Museum features exhibits sharing the holiday traditions from Croatia, Poland, Slovakia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Slovenia, The Netherlands, Russia, Germany, Ireland, Italy, African-American, Belgium, Denmark, Mexico and Hungary.
The cost for a tour is $7.00 adults, $3.00 for children 6-12 and children ages 5 and under are free. Visit the Gift Shop, open museum hours, with items from around the world and stop by the Tea Room for delicious ethnic desserts. The Tea Room is open Saturday and Sunday from 1:00 - 4:00 pm.
Please call Cathy Kolenda-Smith at 913-721-0081 or the Museum at 913-371-3264 to book a group tour of 20 or more during the week or to make a reservation. Visit the museum on the web at www.strawberryhillmuseum.org
Strawberry Hill Museum Timeline:
1887- The Victorian home was designed by John G. Braecklin for John and Mary Scroggs. This was Mr Braecklin’s first commission, He was only 21 at the time. The family lived in the home for 32 years.
1919- The home was sold to the Sisters of St Francis of Christ the King, and renamed the St. John’s Orphanage. The orphanage was in existence for 69 years.
1988- The Strawberry Hill Museum opened. The home was sold to the Strawberry Hill Ethnic Cultural Society to promote and preserve the ethnic heritage prevalent in Kansas City Kansas.
1989 November – 1st Olde World Christmas
1990- First Artist show
1992 July- Work begins on the permanent Croation room
1992 October - Restoration begins on the Chapel
1993 May – 5th Anniversary of Museum marked by the completed restoration and Rededication of the chapel.
1993 August – Pope John Paul II exhibit opens
1995 – Museum added to the Register of Historic Kansas Places
1996/1999 – Slovack,Hispanic,and Irish ethnic groups added to the museum
1999 November – Tea Room and Gift shop opens. Ukranian first exhibit opens
2002 – Croation Ambassador Ivan Grdesic visits the museum. In March the Museum Board of Directors receives the Mayor’s Merit Award from the Unified Government of Wyandotte County
2003 – Museum receives a $90,000 grant from the Kansas Historic Sites board of Review to replace the museum roof, the Board raised $ 58,000
2005 – Hall of Immigrants is displayed in the hallway of the permanent exhibits
2009- Museum Celebrates its 20th Anniversary. Museum receives Event of the Year Award from the Kansas City Kansas Wyandotte County Convention and Visitors Bureau For our Old World Cgristmas Display
2010 – Of the 396 stained glass panels in the Sisters Chapel, 134 broken panes were replaced
2011 – New Archives room (old orphanage play room) renovated. May 1st Pope John Paul will be beatified our Pope exhibit became second class relics.
2012 – Orpahned brother and sister visit museum after a 68 year separation. Museum participated in first Museum Crawl featuring 8 sites in the Wyandotte county area.
2013 – Museum celebrates its 25th Anniversary
