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Illinois Department of Natural Resources

Educational Programs

The museums and galleries in the Illinois State Museum system offer school and group programs tailored to their exhibits, events, and communities. To learn more about these programs visit the following pages for ISM-Springfield, ISM-Dickson Mounds, and the ISM-Lockport Gallery.

Illinois History Day
 

Attention Educators and Students in grades 6-12! Illinois History Day will be held in Springfield, Illinois at the Bank of Springfield Center on May 1, 2025. Check out the main Illinois History Day page to learn more about the contest and how to participate!

National History Day 1st Place winner reaches out in support of Illinois History Day!

Abigail Peterson won 1st place at the 2019 National History Day National contest. Now a graduate student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Abigail spoke with ISM's Illinois History Day state coordinator, Laura Mitchelle, all about her history day experience.

Check out the award winning website!

Learning Online

Check out our Educator's Webpage with virtual exhibits, information, activities, and resources for educators. Our Family Fun Site also offers activities that can be adapted to the classroom. 

We also have a variety of online resources designed for K-12 teachers that covers a variety of subjects.

Field Trip Resources

Department of Natural Resources Biodiversity Field Trip Grants are available to support the costs of your field trip. 

Plan your class field trip here.