Kalamazoo Valley Museum

The Kalamazoo Valley Museum is a place of the community, by the community and for the community.

From its beginning in 1881 as a collection of curiosities in the public library basement, the museum has always been community funded and free to the public. Until 1984, the museum remained a department of the Kalamazoo Public Library. From 1984 to 1991, the museum received its operating support from Kalamazoo Public Schools. In 1991, the museum became part of Kalamazoo Valley Community College and won the support of the community through a charter millage.

In February 1996, the college opened a new 60,000-square-foot state-of-the-art museum facility, designed by noted museum architect E. Verner Johnson, that was funded by over 11,000 private donations, ranging from $10 to $4.5 million dollars. The Kalamazoo Valley Museum represents a successful partnership built from private funding and operates with public tax support.