Community leaders call for public involvement in consideration of Neville Public Museum future

GREEN BAY – Last week, Brown County Executive Troy Streckenbach announced the creation of a Museum Task Force, convened by the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation and comprised of representatives from the Neville Public Museum Foundation and the Children’s Museum of Green Bay to discuss a possible partnership between the two entities.

The Museum Task Force, a Brown County press release said, “will further explore how they can work together to strengthen impact, preserve program excellence, and ensure their long-term sustainability under one collaborative umbrella.”

“The task force’s shared goals include understanding space feasibility, identifying programming, organizational and business priorities, coordinating stakeholder engagement, identifying resource needs and recommending concrete next steps,” the release continued.

The group intends to complete this process within the next 90 days.

“The Neville Public Museum and The Children’s Museum of Green Bay are recognized as essential, vibrant, and forward-thinking cultural institutions that have come together to discuss a unified organization rooted in education, preservation, exploration, and community connection,” the group said. “Built upon the rich legacy and brand equity of both founding organizations, we envision a future where the combined entity serves as a cornerstone cultural destination of Northeast Wisconsin — celebrating our region’s past while helping shape its future.”

“I am pleased that these important community organizations, with the support and guidance of the GGBCF, are working together to create a cultural destination that addresses our community needs and preserves the integrity and goals of both institutions for future generations,” Streckenbach said.

But not everyone is pleased. On Friday, June 5, a coalition of residents, business owners, artists, historians, nonprofit leaders and community stakeholders submitted a letter to Streckenbach and members of the Brown County Board of Supervisors calling for greater public involvement in decisions regarding the future of the Neville Public Museum.

“The Neville Public Museum belongs to the people of Brown County,” said State Rep. Amaad Rivera-Wagner. “Regardless of where people stand on specific proposals, I think we can all agree that decisions about one of our community’s most important public institutions should include the voices of the people it serves. The best ideas do not come from closed rooms. They come from conversations with the community.”

The letter, signed by community leaders and stakeholders, urges Brown County to maintain the Neville Public Museum as a publicly owned, publicly funded, professionally directed and creatively independent institution while creating meaningful opportunities for public engagement before major decisions are made regarding the museum’s future.

“Public institutions are strongest when the public is invited to help shape their future,” Rivera-Wagner added. “This letter is ultimately about transparency, stewardship, and ensuring that future generations inherit a museum that continues to educate, inspire, and tell the stories of all who call Brown County home.”

The signatories emphasized that the letter is intended to encourage collaboration and community engagement, not to endorse any particular governance structure, and to call for a transparent process that allows residents to participate in conversations about the future of the Neville Public Museum.

“We’ve listened to local government about the Neville in recent weeks, but it’s time to put the “Public” back in the Neville Public Museum and open the conversation to our community,” said Tarl Knight, owner of The Tarlton Theatre “Our community supports a publicly owned, publicly funded, professionally directed, and creatively independent museum. Our arts and cultural institutions are vital to our identity and quality of life, and we owe it to ourselves and future generations to protect them.”

The coalition’s letter calls on county leadership to maintain reliable funding for the museum, complete the search for a qualified executive director, preserve the museum’s mission and creative independence, protect museum space for museum purposes and create meaningful opportunities for public feedback through listening sessions and stakeholder engagement.

The group also asks county leaders to pause major decisions regarding potential partnerships or governance changes until residents, educators, historians, artists, nonprofit organizations and community stakeholders have had an opportunity to participate in the discussion.

“For almost a century, the Neville Public Museum has preserved and shared the stories of our region,” the letter said. “It has provided affordable and accessible cultural opportunities, attracted visitors to our community, and contributed to the quality of life which has made Brown County a great place to live, work and raise a family. The Neville Public Museum belongs to the people of Brown County. Founded in Green Bay in 1927 and stewarded by Brown County since 1981, it has been built through generations of public investment, community support and professional leadership.”

“Prior to any significant changes to the Neville Public Museum’s governance, funding, mission, partnerships, or physical space, we urge Brown County to formalize a meaningful public process for residents, artists, historians, nonprofit leaders, cultural organizations, and community stakeholders to participate in the discussion,” the letter continued. “At a time when public investment in arts, culture, and history have come under threat across Wisconsin and the nation, Brown County has an opportunity to reaffirm its commitment to preserving one of our community’s greatest public assets. The Neville Public Museum belongs to the people it serves. We urge Brown County leadership to work collaboratively with our community to protect our community’s public museum for future generations.”