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Welcome to the Illinois State Museum

The Illinois State Museum system includes the headquarters museum and ISM-Research & Collections Center both in Springfield with branch sites ISM-Dickson Mounds in Lewistown, and ISM-Lockport Gallery in Lockport. ISM is under the Department of Natural Resources and the State of Illinois.

The Illinois State Museum inspires exploration of Illinois' past and present to inform and enrich everyday life and to promote stewardship of cultural and natural resources for the future. The Museum's extensive collections and research activities provide the foundation for exhibitions and public programs that tell the story of the land, life, people, and art of Illinois.

ISM-Springfield
ISM-Dickson Mounds
ISM-Lockport Gallery
ISM-Research & Collections Center
Illinois America 250

New & Noteworthy

Photograph of old cars being driven on Route 66 towards Springfield. On the bottom is the logo for the Miles of Memories Route 66 exhibit which will open at the Illinois State Museum in summer 2026

Miles of Memories: Stories of Route 66

Exhibition opens May 23

Join us for a trip down the Mother Road with this Route 66-themed exhibition! Learn what it was like to travel, eat, stay, and work along Route 66 and how travelers of color found safe passage using the Green Book. Visitors will see fun memorabilia such as fiberglass giants, neon lights, signs, and souvenirs, and hear firsthand memories of people who experienced the road in its heyday.

 

This exhibition is informed by the Illinois State Museum’s Route 66 Oral History project, a collection of 100 oral histories conducted with people who lived, worked, and traveled along Route 66 in its heyday, as well as with people who have worked or are working to preserve and interpret the Mother Road.

Check out the interviews here!

Artistic outline of Illinois with a blue banner

Land of Stories

As the 250th anniversary of American independence approaches, we’re asking Illinoisans of all walks of life to share their family stories with us. Do you have a story that’s been told and retold in your family?  Whether the story happened last week or 200 years ago; whether it involves a major historical event or an everyday occurrence; whatever the case, we’d love to hear it.  

The Illinois State Museum will celebrate your stories through exhibitions, programming, and social media as part of its Land of Stories initiative to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States. Take the survey and make history with us!

 

Little Learners BIG discoveries Mini Explorer's Club logo with a cartoon mastodon and a magnifying glass

ISM-Springfield
Mini Explorer's Club
Tuesdays through August 11, 9:30 - 10:15 a.m.

This summer we welcome you and your little one to the Illinois State Museum for lessons with the theme "Our State Symbols." Recommended ages 18 months to 5 years but all ages welcome. Contact the Museum for more information at 217.782.6623 or email laura.mitchelle@illinois.gov. The program includes interactive activities for our littlest learners and their grown up. Contact Laura Mitchelle or by phone at 217.782.6623 for more information.

 

New Exhibits

Watercolor painting of a variety of small birds promoting the In Flight art exhibition

ISM-Dickson Mounds

Open through May of 2026 In Flight features the watercolors of artist Peggy Macnamara. The exhibition focuses on one of her favorite subjects—birds—especially those found in central Illinois. These artworks support the museum’s mission to help people understand and connect with the environment in our region.

Black and white photo of a young girl seated in an antique chair promoting the In The Middle exhibition

ISM-Lockport Gallery

ISM-Lockport Gallery will be opening a new exhibit entitled In the Middle: Growing up in the Middle of American, in the Middle Class, in the Middle of the 20th Century. The exhibit explores childhood in 1940s Illinois through the lens of a Jewish girl growing up in Bloomington. The exhibit is inspired by the life of Sybil Stern Mervis.

Globe on top of a Polly Gas fuel pump with a green parrot in the center.

ISM-Springfield
Now Open, 2nd Floor Gallery

Miles of Memories: Stories of Route 66 brings to life the experience of living, working, and traveling along U.S. Route 66 in celebration of the highway's centennial anniversary. The exhibit incorporates the museum’s Route 66 Oral History Project, a collection of 100 interviews with people who experienced the road when it served as the primary route between Chicago and Los Angeles.

Our museum shop offers a range of items that allow visitors to shop with purpose!

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Upcoming Events | Illinois State Museum
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