Illinois State Museum's suburban Chicago gallery to reopen

LOCKPORT, Ill. (AP) - An Illinois State Museum gallery closed due to the coronavirus pandemic will reopen this month.

Museum officials said the Lockport Gallery is set to reopen on Wednesday. The gallery will be open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Visitors are encouraged to use the state museum website to register in advance.

Anyone visiting will have a health screening before they enter the gallery. People older than two must wear a face covering.

Exhibits include Surplus Scrap. All of the art pieces included in the exhibit are made from material salvaged after a fire in 2017 at the abandoned Joliet Prison.

'œThe exhibition speaks directly to issues of social justice, prison reform, and environmental stewardship," said ISM Lockport Director John Lustig. "The material used in the creation of the art was destined for the trash. The 23 participating artists have created an experience that honors the past while laying the groundwork for a new future.'ť