The statues are among dozens that have been carefully restored by Lou McClung, a professional artist, who has made it his vocation—and avocation—to preserve artifacts from closed churches in Northeast Ohio and elsewhere. He displays them in what is now a 7-year-old venture called the Museum of Divine Statues.
The museum is housed in the former St. Hedwig Church, which served Poles in this west side, inner-ring suburb of Cleveland. McClung opened the museum six years ago with a small number of statues and artifacts. It has burgeoned to a thoughtfully designed exhibition space with more than 200 artifacts that include reliquaries, crucifixes, a monstrance from Germany and stained-glass windows. [...]
Running the nonprofit museum takes time and money, McClung admitted. Between his business and the museum, he usually works 85 hours a week. With no professional staff, McClung is curator, director, fundraiser and chief communicator for the museum. He depends on his mother, stepfather and a few friends—all volunteers—to carry out much of the museum's operation.
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