Photo Courtesy: Great Plains Zoo & Delbridge Museum of Natural History
SIOUX FALLS, SD (KELO.com) — The Sioux Falls City Council is exploring options for the popular Delbridge Museum collection, but money appears to be a major obstacle. A work group says it would cost over a million dollars to restore the collection, and more than that to house it in a new location on city zoo property. As a result, the collection may find a new home outside the city.
Sioux Falls can’t sell the collection, but could legally donate it to a non-profit outside of the state because of a new law passed by this year’s legislature. Consultants and zoo officials say interest in the collection should include natural history museums or similar facilities.
The museum was closed to the public in August of last year for safety reasons because arsenic was used to preserve the specimens and was detected in the area housing the collection. The specimens were harvested by late Sioux Falls businessman Henry Brockhouse in the 1940’s through the 70’s. They were purchased by Attorney C-J Delbridge, who donated them to the city to establish the Delbridge Museum in 1984.
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