Sarpy County Museum Closes Permanently After Announcing Repairs

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The Sarpy County Museum in Bellevue, Nebraska has permanently closed its doors after initially announcing a temporary closure for repairs just two months ago. The museum cited financial and structural issues that made the necessary repairs unfeasible, leading to the permanent shutdown.

Why it matters

The closure of the Sarpy County Museum is a significant loss for the local community, as it was a longstanding institution that preserved the history and heritage of the region. The museum's inability to secure the necessary funding and address structural problems highlights the challenges that many small, local museums face in maintaining their facilities and operations.

The details

The museum had announced a $15 million capital campaign in 2022 to build a new facility in Papillion, Nebraska, but had only raised $1 million and purchased land for the new site before the permanent closure. The existing museum building, owned by the City of Bellevue, had structural concerns that the museum said it could not afford to repair. While the historical society plans to continue sharing history through digital content, community programs, and pop-up exhibits, the loss of the physical museum space is a blow to the community.

• The Sarpy County Museum announced a temporary closure for repairs just two months ago, in December 2025.
• The museum permanently closed its doors on February 12, 2026.

What’s next

The Sarpy County Historical Society is actively pursuing plans for a new heritage center, though the status of the Papillion land purchase is unclear. City officials in Bellevue have expressed a desire to work with the museum to find a solution that keeps the institution within the city.