The Illinois State Museum is shutting down for repairs and museum officials don’t anticipate reopening until November.
The flagship facility is closing to visitors beginning Aug. 1 to accommodate a plumbing project that will involve asbestos removal and construction.
Rather than fully closing, museum staff will be hitting the road with community exhibits.
Illinois State Museum programs and exhibits can be found at numerous locations during the closure, including Vinegar Hill Mall, Lincoln Library, Henson-Robinson Zoo, the Dana-Thomas House State Historic Site, and others.
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Details about special programming will be announced during the course of the closure but they include the following highlights:
- Taste of ISM: A lunch-and-learn program celebrating the work and passion of the Illinois State Museum team. Join museum staff at the Research and Collections Center in Springfield for stories of art, history, science, and the magical world of museums.
- Fine Art Fridays: Spend time with art from the Museum’s collection and be inspired to start an art collection of your own.
- Educator’s Book Club: Open to educators of all grade levels to learn more about history, art and science through reading and discussion. Teachers will earn professional development credits for participating.
In addition, the Museum’s facilities at the Lockport Gallery in Will County and Dickson Mounds Museum in Fulton County will remain open to the public.
The Museum also can be found at the First Lady’s Tent during the Illinois State Fair, which kicks off August 8.
“While we are sad to close the Illinois State Museum for a few months, we’re excited about the improvements to the building and thrilled for the opportunity to serve the community through special programming and events,” acting director of the Museum Jenn Edginton said. “Our team has been hard at work so that we can continue to bring the spirt of the Illinois State Museum to the people we serve.”
Fragile objects and artifacts that could be damaged by vibrations or proximity to the construction work have been covered or removed for storage and proper care and will not be eligible for display during the course of the next few months.
Claire Grant writes about business, growth and development and other news topics for The State Journal-Register. She can be reached at CLGrant@gannett.com; and on X (Formerly known as Twitter): @Claire_Granted
