By Greg Halbleib

NORMAL – The Town of Normal has named a current community museum director to head the Children’s Discovery Museum and the town’s Cultural Arts Department.

Beth Whisman has been executive director of the McLean County Museum of History since 2016 after three years as the museum’s director of development.

She said she’s fortunate to be part of two respected museums in Bloomington-Normal.

“It is a rare community of our size that has two significant, important museums in it,” Whisman said. “For us to have two that serve different age groups through the spectrum of lifelong learning is really important.”

Whisman added that she’s looking forward to the transition between museums.

“Being at the McLean County Museum of History for the last five years has been very important, not only for me professionally but also for the museum because we’ve grown so much, and we’ve raised money and really positioned ourselves to move into the next generation from a strong position,” Whisman explained. “That experience opened the door to this new opportunity, and I couldn’t say no.”

Before joining the Museum of History, she was on the staff of WJBC for 14 years.

Whisman is also personnel chair of the Bloomington-Normal Airport Authority Board and is a member of the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area Steering Committee.

Normal City Manager Mark Peterson will continue as interim head of cultural arts until Whisman begins her duties in February.

Greg Halbleib can be reached at [email protected].