Tales from the Vault Series Returns Jan. 2 at Illinois State Museum

Sub-Title: Program to offer a sneak peak of upcoming historic fashion exhibition

ISM Location: Springfield

For Immediate Release:

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The Illinois State Museum and Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum welcome the Lincoln Home National Historic Site in Springfield as a third partner for the popular “Tales From the Vault” program series in 2020. The series allows the public to learn about treasures from each institutions' vast collections that are not normally on display. The series rotates among the sites and includes the chance to view an artifact or document, commentary by a staff member or local scholar, and group discussion.

“We’re so excited to have the Lincoln Home site come on board with this program. I know the public is going to love learning about all the amazing things that they have in their collection,” said Erika Holst, Illinois State Museum Curator of History. 

The first “Tales From the Vault” of 2020 will be hosted by the Illinois State Museum at its Research and Collections Center on January 2 from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m. The topic will be a sneak peek of the Museum’s upcoming historic fashion exhibition.

Opening March 21, “Fashioning Illinois, 1820-1900” will showcase more than 40 historic garments from the Illinois State Museum’s collection. The exhibit will explore both the personal experience of wearing and caring for clothing as well as the way that fashion reflected the changing roles and attitudes about women over the first 80 years of Illinois statehood. 

In anticipation of the exhibition, the Museum is producing a calendar featuring stunning photographs of the dresses from the exhibition posed “in situ” at historic sites in Central Illinois. Copies will be on sale at the January “Tales from the Vault” program for $10 ($8 for Illinois State Museum Society members). The calendars can also be purchased by calling the Museum at (217) 782-7386 or stopping by the main Museum building at 502 S. Spring Street.  

Future “Tales from the Vault” programs will rotate among the Illinois State Museum’s Research and Collections Center at 1011 E. Ash Street, the Multipurpose Room of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library at 112 N. Sixth Street, and the Visitors’ Center of the Lincoln Home National Historic Site at 426 S. Seventh Street.  All programs are held at 12:00 noon on the first Thursday of the month, except the February program which will be held on February 13.

The full lineup for 2020 “Tales from the Vault” programs is as follows:

January 2         Fashioning Illinois, 1820-1900: A Sneak Peek - Illinois State Museum

February 13     Love and Romance - Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum

March 5           Ephemera From a Creative Life: Digging Into an Artist’s Archives - Illinois State Museum

April 2             The Dear Codgers: The Lincoln Boys and Their Toys - Lincoln Home National Historic Site

May 7              Illinois Archaeology Collections - Illinois State Museum

June 4              Wish You Were Here: Souvenirs from the Lincoln Home - Lincoln Home National Historic Site

July 2               Lincoln’s Letters - Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum

August 6         Jameson Jenkins: Friend, Neighbor, Underground Railroad Conductor - Lincoln Home National Historic Site

September 3    Gertrude Stein’s “Miss Furr and Miss Skeene”: Paintings by Ethel Mars from the ISM Collection - Illinois State Museum

October 1        Rare Books - Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum

November 5    Mysteries at the Museum - Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum

December 3     The Little Woman on 8th Street - Lincoln Home National Historic Site

Contact Person: Elizabeth Bazan

Contact Email: Elizabeth.Bazan@Illinois.gov

Contact Phone: 217-558-6696

Release File (pdf): ism-talesfromthevault2020_final.pdf

Release File (doc): ism-talesfromthevault2020_final.docx