Illinois State Museum
A free natural history and cultural museum beside the state capitol, displaying a mammoth skeleton, Native artifacts and Illinois art.
The Illinois State Museum, founded in 1877, lies on the southeast side of the State Capitol. Its exhibits cover Illinois' geology, natural history and culture: Ice Age skeletons of American mastodons and mammoths, a reconstructed prehistoric forest and wetland, thousands of years of Native American pottery and tools, and the 'People of Illinois' gallery on immigration and agricultural history. The second floor features works by state artists and temporary exhibitions, and a children's discovery area suits families. Admission is free (donations are welcome). It is generally open Monday to Saturday from 9:00 to 16:30, and from around midday on Sundays. It can easily be combined with a visit to the State Capitol.
Opening hours
Mon–Sat 09:00–16:30; Sun 12:00–16:30
Nearby sights
- Illinois State Capitol
- Illinois Governor's Mansion
- Dana–Thomas House
- Old State Capitol State Historic Site
- Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices State Historic Site
- Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum
- Lincoln Home National Historic Site
- Lincoln Depot