Discover a hidden treasure, world-class and free
Not to be missed during a visit to Springfield is the Illinois State Museum, just a few blocks west of downtown in the State Capitol complex. People ages 1 to 101 will enjoy this free museum, which has been called “world-class” and “a gem in its own right.” It tells the story of the land, life, people and art of Illinois through engaging, interactive natural history displays, lifesized dioramas bringing Illinois’ rich Native American heritage to life, a new hands-on children’s area, and much more. The second Saturday of every month is Super Saturday at the Illinois State Museum, with themed activities for children ages 4-8 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Changes is not just a learning experience, but an adventure!
You might not know that Illinois was once located south of the equator. Or, that it was once a tropical sea teeming with marine life. By traveling through time in the Changes exhibition, you will see what Illinois was like millions of years ago. You will glimpse an era when intriguing species once inhabited Illinois – sharks, giant dragonflies and millipedes, Jefferson’s ground sloth, the American mastodont and short-faced bears. You will learn what the land was like when the first European explorers discovered it. Changes is an adventure through
500 million years of environmental change in Illinois. Engaging hands-on interactive displays, audio and video effects, life-sized dioramas and thousands of authentic fossils make the state’s amazing evolution come alive.
Fun for families in the Play Museum
Families with young children will enjoy the new Play Museum where children can learn through play what it is like to work at a museum. The immersive, interactive, kid-friendly Play Museum is a children’s museum within the museum designed for children ages 3-10. Children can excavate mastodont bones, load a jeep for an expedition, crawl through a cave, see objects up close with a videomicroscope, touch animal skulls, frame and display art and much more.
Explore 300 years of family life in At Home in the Heartland
In At Home in the Heartland you can immerse yourself in the dramatic changes in household life over the past 300 years and listen to the stories of real people who lived in Illinois from the time of early settlement to the modern era. Furnishings and other domestic objects from the museum’s extensive collections present a picture of the lives of Illinois residents from the 18th century to today.
Learn about Peoples of the Past
Authentic artifacts and the life-sized dioramas in the Peoples of the Past exhibit reveal the dramatic changes in Native American cultures from thousands of years ago to the 19th century.
Special exhibition: Luminous Ground: Artists with Histories
Changing art exhibitions showcase the best of Illinois art. Luminous Ground: Artists with Histories, on exhibit from May 20, 2012 to Jan. 6, 2013, highlights the work and careers of 11 elder Chicago artists who are, or were, creatively active into their later decades. Many are nationally and internationally known; some have been quieter presences in the art world. All are resilient and vitally creative. The exhibition suggests that, if there is a Fountain of Youth, it is creativity. All of the artists’ careers span at least 50 years, and their ages range from 78 years old into their 90s. Time Out Chicago named Luminous Ground to its list of 10 Best Art and Design Shows of 2011 when the exhibition was shown at the Illinois State Museum Chicago Gallery.
See the spectacular Morton D. Barker Paperweight Collection
View stunning examples of paperweights from renowned glass factories in France, England, Bohemia and the United States.
The Illinois State Museum Store - unique gifts Made in Illinois
The Illinois State Museum Store is the place to shop for gifts made by Illinois’ finest artisans. The Museum Store features one-of-a-kind jewelry, art glass, hand-turned wood, pottery, fiber, woven baskets and much more, created by juried artisans throughout the state. The store also has a wide selection of educational toys and souvenirs.
Location and hours – And it’s FREE
The Illinois State Museum is located at 502 S. Spring Street on the corner of Spring and Edwards Streets, just south of the Capitol Building in the State Capitol complex. Hours: Mon.-Sat. 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun. noon-5 p.m. The Play Museum hours are Mon.-Sat. 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sun. 1 p.m.-5 p.m. Closed New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Admission is free. Free parking is available in the Visitors Center lot one block west of the Illinois State Museum on Edwards Street. For more information: 217-782- 7386, Illinois State Museum on Facebook, or www.museum.state.il.us.
