Exhibit - Portrait of a Lady

Portrait of a Lady, opening August 12 and running through October 23, shines a light on the life of Florence Rose Castor—an accomplished, university-educated woman from Waseca County whose promising career as a German teacher was cut short by wartime fear, personal injury, and the societal stigma surrounding mental health. Institutionalized and later abandoned by her family, Florence’s story was nearly lost to history. Until now. This original exhibit draws from Florence’s personal scrapbook, family records, and newly uncovered artifacts to piece together a remarkable life interrupted. Visitors will explore the broader social forces that shaped her fate—and the lives of countless other women—through a rich blend of narrative, photography, and interactive elements. Portrait of a Lady is more than an exhibit—it’s an act of remembrance. Visitors will have the chance to consider the ways we preserve, erase, and reclaim memory over time.