November 29, 2008 – January 11, 2009
The Byron Museum was selected as one of only six institutions in the state of Illinois to host Between Fences, a traveling Smithsonian exhibition. During the six-week exhibition, the Byron Museum hosted 10 public programs including a fence-themed art & photography contest, book discussions, lecture series, craft workshops, and a film series, and a community-created chicken wire picket fence wall. The Museum also worked with 8 other communities in Ogle County to create a new exhibit,Crossing Boundaries, that tells the stories of 10 individuals from throughout Ogle County’s history. Each encountered different barriers in his or her life. Some were physical barriers, like conquering the untamed prairie in the 1830s. Others faced challenges such as sexism.

May 30 – July 15, 2008
This exhibit highlighted some of the propaganda techniques employed by the U.S. Government during WWII, and topics of include: encouragement of patriotism, urging women to fill military support positions, conservation of food & rationing, warning against “loose talk”, and even protection from venereal disease. The exhibit included posters on loan from the Illinois Association of Museums, and from a local private collector. In addition, the Museum displayed excerpts from interviews of area residents as they recalled their experiences during World War II, and how they were affected by propaganda.