Opening of new Sultana Museum pushed to 2026

Construction issues, rising costs lead to delay of project

By Ralph Hardin

news@theeveningtimes.com

While the community has been waiting years to see the new home of the Sultana Disaster Museum come to life, it's going to take a little longer than anticipated .

While visitors can still check out the current home of the museum on the courthouse square in Marion, the opening of the Sultana Disaster Museum’s new home in the historic Marion gymnasium, currently under construction, will be opening to the public about a year later than previously expected.

The projected opening date of April 2025 has been pushed out to April 2026, according to John Fogleman, lifelong Marion resident and former circuit judge who now serves as the president of the Sultana Historical Preservation Society, the primary driving force behind the multimillion-dollar expansion of the Sultana Museum.

According to Fogleman, not long after construction started in March, it was discovered that a new roof was needed for the 1939 gymnasium that is currently being renovated to make up the bulk of the new museum, which will house hundreds of artifacts, documents and other displays from America’s most deadly maritime disaster.

Other than demolition work, no other work could take place inside until the building has a new roof, said Fogleman.

The new roof pushed the projected completion of the building construction from April 2025 to August 2025 and will then be followed by the other interior work before the museum’s opening.

It’s not all bad news for the museum project though. New Executive Director Jeff Kollath, who was hired earlier this year, has been on the job since July 1, and he says, “Progress is happening.” Kollath recently shared some updates on the Sultana Disaster Museum’s Facebook. “It’s very exciting.”

Photo by Ralph Hardin

The historic Marion school gymnasium is currently undergoing a multimillion-dollar facelift to transform it into the new home of the Sultana Disaster Museum. The museum, originally slated to open in 2025, will now be opening in 2026.