Museums Illinois
Specialized

Browse Museums

African American Hall of Fame Museum
Peoria, Illinois

Culture, History, Specialized

The museum will provide visitors the opportunity to view exhibits featuring artists and rotating exhibits only seen in larger galleries and museums. By focusing on the fusion of art, history, science and nature, the museum will serve as a role model for the development of all who visit.

Am. Hist. Soc. of Germans from Russia
Naperville, Illinois

Anthropology, Culture, General, History, Historic House, Historical Society, Library, Specialized

American Police Center and Museum - CLOSED
Chicago, Illinois

Specialized

Yelpers report this location has closed.

Aurora Regional Fire Museum
Aurora, Illinois

History, Specialized

The Aurora Regional Fire Museum is located in Aurora's old Central Fire Station. The museum is open to the public regular hours, and features a variety of interactive exhibits designed to educate and entertain children, families, and firefighters.

The museum's primary exhibit, "Getting There, Getting Water, Getting Rescued" traces the evolution of the tools and technology used by firefighters. Visitors can pass a leather fire bucket from the early 1800s. See the horse stalls and the "real" fire horses. Discover what was found under the floor boards of the old central fire station. Marvel at the strange looking Vajen-Bader smoke mask. See and hear how modern fire apparatus clears the streets with sirens, air horns, and devices that change traffic lights green.

Bronzeville Historical Society
Chicago, Illinois

History, Historical Society, Library, Specialized

Office and Archives at Illinois Institute of Technology - 10 W. 35th St., Suite 9D3-1 Chicago, IL 60616 BY Appointment ONLY

Cantigny Gardens and Museums
Wheaton, Illinois

Arboretum, Art, Botanical Garden, Children's, Culture, General, History, Historic House, Library, Military

Located in Wheaton, Ill., this sprawling, 500-acre park is where families wander through nature, get lost in history, play golf at an award-winning course, attend a big band concert, tag monarch butterflies, make a snow globe, take classes, introduce children to the age-old custom of afternoon tea, attend a wide variety of special programs and events --in short, spend quality time together.

In addition to vast formal gardens and picnic and camping grounds, Cantigny offers two history-rich museums: the Robert R. McCormick Museum and the Cantigny First Division Museum, fascinating for children and researchers alike.

Chicago Baseball Museum
Chicago, Illinois

Culture, History, Specialized

The Chicago Baseball Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that will collect, preserve, document, research, and interpret artifacts and events that are associated with the legacy, evolution and contemporary life of Chicago baseball.

Our goal is to compliment the various baseball museums and institutions around the country, including Cooperstown, the Negro League Baseball Museum, and the virtual All-American Girls Professional Baseball League museum. We feel our unique Chicago perspective will only serve to compliment the landscape of baseball in America.

 

Our dream for the Chicago Baseball Museum is to emulate the scope and integrity of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum and Library in Springfield, IL.

Christian County Historical Society & Museum
Taylorville, Illinois

Culture, History, Historic House, Historical Society, Library, Military, Specialized

Come tour Christian County’s first courthouse where Abraham Lincoln walked and where he argued cases with Stephen A. Douglas, walk through the Woodall Building which includes the jail and showcases military memorabilia including uniforms, weapons, a Civil War diary and other artifacts. Tour the Log House built in the 1830’s, the Bee Castle which is thought to be the only one of its kind in the state of Illinois, the Buckeye School which served as a schoolhouse from 1866-1948, the Depot which was originally located in Buckhart Towhship and the Morrison House. Each building is full of interesting artifacts from around Christian County.

Elgin Fire Barn #5 Museum
Elgin, Illinois

History, Historic House, Specialized

The Elgin Fire Barn No. 5 Museum houses the Elgin Fire Department's most prized artifacts. Among the museum's collection are photos, helmets, various badge types, uniforms, a hand-drawn hose cart, an 1869 horse-drawn Silsby Steamer, several motorized vehicles and much much more.

Feet First Exhibit: Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
North Chicago, Illinois

Anthropology, General, History, Library, Science, Specialized, University

FEET FIRST: THE SCHOLL STORY, a one-of-a-kind exhibit dedicated to Dr. William Mathias Scholl and to the amazing structures that are our feet. This permanent exhibit is housed at the Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine at Rosalind Franklin University.

Air Classics Museum of Aviation
Sugar Grove, Illinois

General, History, Specialized

Air Classics is an aviation museum located at Aurora Municipal Airport - ARR where the aircraft actually fly. You can sit in an A-7 that flew in the Gulf War and climb into the pilot's seat of a UH-1 Huey helicopter. The museum's collection includes aircraft, vehicles, uniforms and other aviation memorabilia from the 1930s to the present time.

American Fluorite Museum
Rosiclare, Illinois

Specialized

Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen Museum and Diocesan Historical Museum
Peoria, Illinois

Church, Culture, General, History, Library, Specialized

Gift shop available in the museum; ballrooms, conference rooms, meeting rooms, picnic spaces, and catering available upon request.

BARRINGTON HISTORY MUSEUM
Barrington, Illinois

Children's, History, Historic House, Library, Specialized

The Applebee House: Built by Gilbert A. Applebee in 1889 on the site of an earlier home then burned in 1888. The elaborate porch and conservatory were restored in 1988. The first floor has been restored as a complete turn-of-the-century living quarters museum.

Brunk-Morgan Horse Museum
Springfield, Illinois

Specialized

Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design
Chicago, Illinois

Art, Specialized

Chicago Postcard Museum
Belleville, Illinois

General, History, Specialized

The Museum presents exhibits in a straight forward and concise manner, maximizing enjoyment and minimizing annoying mouse clicks. We present the front and back of almost every postcard on exhibit because our founder believes that a part of the fascination with old postcards is reading the printed descriptions, the senders message, viewing handwriting styles, and by examining a postcards true character.

Cumberland County Historical and Genealogical Society
Greenup, Illinois

Art, Culture, General, History, Historical Society, Library, Military, Specialized

Three Museums in 100-year-old buildings in the National Registry of Historic Places - The three represent Local, Military, and Railroading History on the Historic National Road in Greenup, IL. The local genealogy library resides in the Historic Johnson Building where artifacts of local history are displayed. The Greenup Depot houses model railroads and historical artifacts and photos. The Cumberland County Military Museum honors local veterans with displays of memorabilia and recordings of local history.

Ernest Hemingway Foundation of Oak Park
Oak Park, Illinois

Art, Culture, General, History, Historic House, Library, Specialized

First Division Museum
Wheaton, Illinois

History, Library, Military, Specialized

The First Division Museum presents the history of the famed 1st Infantry Division of the U.S. Army, "The Big Red One," within the broader context of modern American military history using contemporary, interactive exhibits. The main exhibit hall covers the division's history beginning in World War I up through its fight in the Gulf War. Visitors can explore a WWI trench and trench barracks while the sounds of exploding shells and diving planes are heard overhead, sit in a landing craft for the invasion of Normandy, WWII, then move out onto Omaha Beach as it looked the day after D-Day, 1944, or walk through the jungles of Vietnam and see a three-screen, panoramic presentation of the Division's Vietnam history.

MUSEUM CONFERENCES

Georgia Association of Museums 2025 Conference

February 5 - 7, 2025

Milledgeville, Georgia

Georgia Association of Museums 2025 Conference

Wednesday, February 5 - Friday, February 7, 2025

Ina Dillard Russell Library Georgia College & State University

Milledgeville, Georgia

Hosted by: Georgia Association of Museums

The Whole Story Is The Meanin

“For the fiction writer himself the whole story is the meaning, because it is an experience, not an abstraction.”― Flannery O'Connor, Mystery and Manners: Occasional Pros

Join us in Milledgeville, Georgia, for the annual Georgia Association of Museums conference as we explore the profound wisdom of Milledgeville author Flannery O'Connor’s words. In a world where narratives intersect and perspectives diverge, this theme invites proposals that delve into the essence of storytelling within museums and cultural institutions. Our work in the museum field requires us to look at stories from as many angles and perspectives as possible so that we might do our best to tell the “whole story.

Through thought-provoking discussions, interactive workshops, and engaging presentations, we will uncover the layers of meaning embedded within every artifact, exhibition, and historical account. Just as O’Connor masterfully crafted narratives that resonate with universal truths, museums hold the power to illuminate the whole story behind many objects, artworks, and cultural phenomena

We will examine how museums can embrace inclusivity, diversity, and authenticity in their storytelling practices. By acknowledging multiple perspectives and amplifying marginalized voices, we can enrich our understanding of the past and present, fostering empathy and connection within our communities.

Small Museum Association 41st Annual Conference 2025

February 17 - 19, 2025

Gaithersburg, Maryland

Small Museum Association 41st Annual Conference 2025

Monday, February 17 - Wednesday, February 19, 2025

Gaithersburg Marriott Washingtonian Center

Gaithersburg, Maryland

Hosted by: Small Museum Association

The annual SMA conference attracts more than 300 museum professionals, board members, and volunteers from a wide variety of small museums. They attend sessions on topics ranging from collections and education to staffing and board issues.

We offer a large Museum Resource Hall and plenty of informal networking opportunities for you to talk with (and get ideas from!) other small museum professionals and volunteers

Theme for 2025: Make It Happen!!!

Is there an exhibit, program, or fundraiser that you've been talking about doing for years? Do you feel stuck because of procrastination, lack of board support, or insufficient funds? It's time to take action

At SMA 2025, small museum professionals will share their tips and tricks of how they made it happen!

2025 California Association of Museums Conference

February 18 - 22, 2025

San Fransico, California

2025 California Association of Museums Conference

Tuesday, February 18 - Saturday, February 22, 2025

San Fransico, California

Hosted by: California Association of Museums

CAM is hard at work planning for the 2025 conference, set to take place from February 18–22, 2025 in San Francisco. We look forward to highlighting best practices and innovative ideas from California's museum community

The California Association of Museums is excited to continue offering in-person programming for 2025. We will not be requiring proof of COVID vaccination/s, but highly encourage vaccination and boosters. For the health and safety of our colleagues, masks are also encouraged (but not required). Capacity and spaces will be thoughtfully considered in the planning of this event.

For more information, please email programs@calmuseums.org.

Virginia Association of Museum's 2025 Annual Conference!

March 15 - 18, 2025

Blacksburg, Virginia

Virginia Association of Museum's 2025 Annual Conference!

Saturday, March 15 - Tuesday, March 18, 2025

The Inn at Virginia Tech

Blacksburg, Virginia

Hosted by: Virginia Association of Museums

2025 Conference Theme: Looking Back to the Future For the past several years, many museums have been deeply involved in planning programs and events to observe the 250th birthday of the United States of America. While this is certainly an occasion to celebrate, this anniversary also forces us as a society to reckon with ongoing inequities and challenges within the US that go back to its inception. As museums ask their audiences to look to the past to understand the present and shape a better future, perhaps now is a good moment in time for Virginia’s museum community to take pause and look back at its own history. We are excited to see you in Blacksburg in March 2025 as we take a moment in our hectic schedules to take pause and visit our diverse pasts. Let’s uncover and share our histories to build a more resilient Virginia museum community.

2025 Am Assoc for State and Local History Annual Conference

September 10 - 13, 2025

Cincinnati, Ohio

2025 Am Assoc for State and Local History Annual Conference

Wednesday, September 10 - Saturday, September 13, 2025

TBD

Cincinnati, Ohio

Hosted by: American Association for State and Local History

The 2025 AASLH Annual Conference, in partnership with Ohio Local History Alliance, will take place as the history field makes the final preparations to kickoff off the 250th commemoration of the founding of the United States.

The 2025 conference theme, inspired by AASLH’s Making History at 250: The Field Guide for Semiquincentennial, is an opportunity to broadly explore one of the guide’s themes, The American Experiment. For many in the American colonies in 1776, independence from Britain represented a “leap into the dark” into an unknown future

We are excited for you to join us in Cincinnati as we encourage discussion about our democracy and civic institutions and how they can help strengthen understanding, inspire action, and reveal ways that all of us can participate in and shape the ongoing American experiment.

For more information, please call 615-320-3203 or email info@aaslh.org.

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