DETROIT (FOX 2) - Since 1965 the Charles H. Wright Museum in Detroit has provided a doorway to learning the cultural oasis known as African American history. Outside of the Smithsonian African American Museum in Washington, D.C., the Wright Museum holds the world's second-largest permanent exhibit on African American culture.
But COVID-19 has brought an incredible threat to the institution.
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Charles H. Wright Museum takes massive budget hit from COVID-19
COVID-19 has brought an incredible threat to Detroit's Charles H. Wright Museum, one of the few African-American museums of its kind in the nation.
Even though doors have reopened to the public, with protocols like reducing capacity, wipe away tours and events, numbers are down.
"We've lost 40% of our budget. We're down a couple of million dollars," Barclay said. "Detroit, that really has one of the preeminent African American museums of its kind in the country, we all need to work to preserve that."
To help generate funding, the Wright Museum has an online fundraising campaign and auction, plus other ways to help out.
"Becoming a member is the quickest and easiest way to support the organization. It's $35," Barclay said.
"It's critically important that these institutions like ourselves survive this moment," he added. "If we were to lose an asset like the Wright, it's something that's very hard to recover."
For more information on how to support the museum, visit thewright.org.