Lockport's Gaylord Building Historic Site Wins Two State Museum Awards

LOCKPORT, IL — The Gaylord Building Historic Site in Lockport has received two statewide awards from the Illinois Association of Museums, recognizing the site’s recent work in exhibition design, public history and community engagement, according to a news release from the building.

The Gaylord Building’s 2025 exhibit, 50 Years to Overnight Success: The Story of the Lockport National Historic District, 1975–2025, received an Award of Excellence, while the site’s ongoing Story Wall initiative received an Innovation Award, the Building said.

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The Award of Excellence recognized "50 Years to Overnight Success," a temporary exhibit that explored how historic preservation helped transform downtown Lockport over the past five decades, the Building said. The exhibt features large-scale pen-and-ink artwork by Lockport architect and artist Bob Morris.

The exhibit was developed by Gaylord Building staff in collaboration with Morris, whose career has included the restoration and revitalization of several historic buildings in downtown Lockport. Additional design and installation support was provided by Lockport Mayor Steven Streit, who also brought his graphic design expertise to the project, a news release shares.

During the awards ceremony, IAM Secretary Debbie Fandrei noted that judges “appreciated how this exhibit celebrating the historic preservation of downtown Lockport became an immersive experience, with murals on the walls and a painted floor map to help engage visitors on multiple levels.”

The site’s second honor, an Innovation Award, recognized the Story Wall, a flexible micro-exhibit space created within the Gaylord Building’s first-floor gallery. Designed as a rotating platform for short-term installations, the Story Wall allows the museum to feature timely research, student work, local partnerships, and focused stories that might not otherwise become full-scale exhibits, according to a news release.

“The awards committee appreciated how the Story Wall increased community connections, while giving staff a chance to explore new and limited-run stories,” Fandrei said in a news release.

“We’re incredibly honored to receive both of these awards,” Clint Cargile, Manager of Public Programs at the Gaylord Building, said in a release. “We’re always looking to explore history in new ways that feel meaningful, creative, and connected to the community. These recognitions show that approach is resonating.”