Missourians can prepare for an August trip to the Missouri State Fair by viewing a traveling exhibit  entitled “Ticket to the Past—The First Twenty-Five Years of the Missouri State Fair,” which is open to the public July 13-September 12 at the National Churchill Museum, located on the campus of Westminster College in Fulton, MO.

On loan from the Missouri State Archives, the exhibit highlights the creation of the Missouri State Fair at the turn of the century, the exhibits which were offered and the historic backdrop that prompted its existence.

“This is a fun exhibit that will be running at a time where people can visit and get a history of the Fair before they attend the actual Fair in August,” says Liz Murphy, Museum Archivist/Curator.  “We will offer two dollars off of the admission to any visitors who bring their Fair ticket stub with them.”

An opening event that includes children activities such as the games Pin the Hat on Winston and the Where’s Winston Scavenger Hunt will be offered on the opening day of the exhibit, July 14.  Prizes will be given to the winners.

Museum officials invite local citizens to “Beat the Heat with the National Churchill Museum” by enjoying this latest exhibition.

For more information, individuals may contact Museum Archivist/Curator Liz Murphy at 573-592-5626 or email her at Liz.Murphy@churchillmemorial.org.

The National Churchill Museum located in the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury on the campus of Westminster College in Fulton, MO is the only North American institution fully devoted to immortalizing the life and work of Churchill. 

The most visible element of the Museum is the magnificent Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury, a 17th century Christopher Wren church.  The Church serves both as a permanent memorial to Sir Winston’s life and to his visit in 1946 when he delivered possibly the most famous speech of his long career, the “Iron Curtain” address.
Beneath the Church is the heart of the Memorial, a state-of-the-art Museum that combines interactive technology to tell Churchill’s story through sight, sound and touch.  In 2006, Chris Matthews, MSNBC commentator, was present at the opening of this new $4 million exhibition and said its ability to bring history to life in a dynamic, stimulating fashion was incredible and that the quality of its exhibits rivaled that of the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C.

Adjacent to the National Churchill Museum stands a sculpture by Edwina Sandys, Churchill’s granddaughter, entitled “Breakthrough,” which was constructed from eight sections of the Berlin Wall to commemorate the demise of the “Iron Curtain” that Sir Winston had predicted.  Visitors may also enjoy the historic gymnasium where Churchill delivered his world famous “Iron Curtain Speech” in 1946 on another part of campus.
The National Churchill Museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  Regular admission prices are Adults-$6, Seniors-$5, College Students and Youth-$4, Children (6-11)-$3, and Children (5 and under)-free.