Vintage Valentine Exhibit Opens at Little White School Museum

Oswegoland Heritage Association Board Member and Little White School Museum volunteer Stephanie Just puts the finishing touches on this year’s “Be My Valentine: Greetings from Oswego’s Past” exhibit at the museum, 72 Polk Street, Oswego. Submitted by the Little White School Museum:

A new seasonal exhibit, “Be My Valentine: Greetings from Oswego’s Past,” opened at Oswego’s Little White School Museum Saturday, Jan. 17.

The museum is located at 72 Polk Street (Jackson at Polk) just two blocks from Oswego’s historic downtown business district. Admission is free.

This year’s exhibit features dozens of colorful vintage Valentine cards, many from area family archival collections only recently acquired by the museum.

Along with colorful two- and three-dimensional Valentine cards, the exhibit also includes other Valentine-related items selected from the museum’s collections, from romantic sheet music to fancy Valentine candy boxes that enlivened Valentine parties of the past.

This year’s exhibit was again mounted by museum board member Stephanie Just and will be available for visitors through the end of February.

In conjunction with the new exhibit, area residents are invited to a free family Valentines craft activity at the museum on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, Jan. 31 and Feb. 1.

From 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. both days, area residents age 3 and up are invited to drop in and create their own classic homemade Valentines similar to those popular in the 1890s to take home to keep or to give to a friend or family member. Children must attend with an adult.

Stop in any time during the activity on either day to create your instant heirloom Valentine. Pre-registration is recommended by calling 630-554-2999 to help the museum staff plan ahead, but walk-ins are always welcome.

“Be My Valentine: Greetings from Oswego’s Past” is open during regular museum hours, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 9 a.m. to noon Sunday. Admission is free, but donations are always gratefully accepted.

The Little White School Museum is a joint project of the Oswegoland Heritage Association and the Oswegoland Park District.

For more information, call 630-554-2999, send an email to info@littlewhiteschoolmuseum.org, or visit their website at www.littlewhiteschoolmuseum.org.