Post Falls Museum delays public opening for 2023 season

POST FALLS — The Post Falls Museum will not open as planned later this month due to the presence of mold in the basement.

The Post Falls Historical Society, a nonprofit organization that manages the museum at 101 E. Fourth St., announced in a news release that it is working with the city of Post Falls to analyze the mold and put a plan together to remove it. However, this likely won’t be complete until at least June, prompting the society to hold off on the official scheduled seasonal opening.

The museum typically opens to the public for the year toward the end of May, and closes in late October. Days and hours vary based on volunteer availability, but it is usually open three to four days each week.

“We feel it is important to take this step out of safety concerns for our guests and our volunteers,” said Joe Butler, board secretary, in the release. “We’re still gathering answers but don’t want to open our doors until everything is properly addressed.”

Since 2008, the museum has been in the 100-year-old Chapin building, adjacent to Post Falls City Hall. The building was originally used as a pharmacy but over the years it has had all sorts of roles, including the Post Falls Police and Parks and Recreation departments. The building is owned by the city but has been provided to the historical society under a licensing agreement.

A few months ago, a society volunteer went into the basement and discovered a noticeable amount of mold contamination. Although the older building does often experience small levels of moisture in the basement, the volunteer felt concerned and alerted others. Officials from the society and city began evaluations and mold analysis, and the city advised keeping the building closed to the public until conditions change.

The society board is now reaching out to area environmental firms and restoration contractors to provide more details about the type and concentrations of mold, along with cost estimates and a timeline for cleaning.

It is currently not known what items may be affected. The basement is mostly used for storage, so there’s a range of everything from Christmas decorations to commemorative steins from past Oktoberfests.

Even if the museum is temporarily closed, the society plans to continue its ongoing mission of historic preservation and community outreach. This includes a 100-year birthday celebration for the Chapin Building on July 6 in the courtyard outside City Hall. If the Chapin Building is fully open at that point, the museum staff will offer tours.

For more information email pfhistorical@roadrunner.com or visit Post Falls Historical Society on Facebook.