Kendra Simpson
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — While the Wyeth-Tootle Mansion just opened to the public for the season, the work has yet to stop since last summer between hosting wedding parties, holiday celebrations and renovations on the upper floor.
The Mansion has been renovating since March, thanks to a $25,000 grant given to the St. Joseph Museums in honor of America’s 250th anniversary on July 4, 2025.
The renovation of four rooms, which will be converted into a groom’s suite for wedding parties, are expected to be done by July of 2026. Sara Wilson, Executive Director of the St. Joseph Museums, expressed her excitement for the community to see the finished product.
“Right now we’re in the process of picking out stained glass for transoms and picking out lighting and kind of looking at what the exhibit design is going to look like in those spaces,” she said. “We’re looking at some new wallpaper in some areas of the museum, so picking those things out is fun.”
While the rooms are closed off currently for construction work, Wilson said guests will soon get sneak peeks at what’s to come.
“Over the course of the year, we’ll have space that people can go in,” she said. “We always like it when visitors can see our exhibit design process and so they can feel like they’re a part of that.”
While it’s officially open for the Spring season, the Wyeth-Tootle Mansion never seems to slow down between weddings, holiday events and, most recently, graduation parties.
“This year it doesn’t feel like we’ve been closed-closed and then we’re reopening because we’ve had so many special events,” Wilson said. “We’ve had events all year long. We had a big holiday season with our Holiday Homes tour…we’ve had weddings throughout the season and we’re getting ready to have alot of graduation parties. So it doesn’t even hardly feel like we were closed because we’ve pretty much had events every week at the Mansion all year long.”
The St. Joseph Museums will be hosting several events over the next few months, including Easter at the Mansion Saturday, April 19, as well as “Rewind: A Time Traveling Soiree to Lake Contrary” Friday, May 30 and Juneteenth celebrations beginning Friday, June 13.
For a complete listing of events hosted by the St. Joseph Museums, visit the organization’s website at stjosephmuseum.org.
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