July 10, 2020

COLUMBIA, MO, July 10, 2020 – The State Historical Society of Missouri (SHSMO) announced today the layoff of eleven full-time staff members and three part-time staff members, effective immediately.  Eleven of the layoffs occurred at the SHSMO headquarters at the Center for Missouri Studies in Columbia.  Additionally, there was one layoff at the SHSMO Research Center in Kansas City, one in St. Louis, and one in Springfield.  

These layoffs are the result of budget restriction resulting from a decline in state revenue in FY 2020 and the anticipated decline for FY 2021.  The SHSMO budget for FY 2021 has been reduced from $3,254,367 in FY 2020 to $2,088,170 for FY 2021.  It is hoped that an increase in state revenue in FY 2021 might allow for the return of some or all of these SHSMO staff members.

To accommodate this staff reduction, SHSMO will be reducing the hours it is open to the public, when its six research centers open on August 4, 2020.  The new hours will be 12:00-4:30, Tuesday through Friday.  The research centers will be open by appointment only.  

Please consult the SHSMO website for phone numbers and email addresses for the respective research centers.  Masks will be required of all guests entering the research centers.