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For 125 years, the Illinois State Museum has been a place where visitors could renew their connections with the past.
STORY BY LIZ PENSONEAU
The year was 1952. The Illinois State Museum was celebrating its 75th year of service to the state. It recorded a total of 266,654 visitors at its Springfield facility and another 80,000 visitors at its Museumobile, which toured 200 rural areas. Innovative research, in cooperation with the State Department of Public Safety, had just led to the determination of the sex, race, age, height, weight and cause of death of a skeleton found in Clinton County—information that reinforced the fact that museums were being called upon more and more to supply the public with scientific information. Many valuable gifts recently had been donated to the museum, including a cigar-store Indian of wood from Dr. L.H. Halbert of Springfield; two Eskimo kayaks from the Smithsonian Institution; an extensive collection of prehistoric Indian artifacts from Ethel and George Schoenbeck of Peoria; and 88 semi-precious stones from Dallas Sweney of Peoria. The museum was formed by enactment of the legislature in 1877. At that time, its collection consisted of a few cabinets of fossils, minerals and natural history specimens that were housed in one room at the State House and later moved to a room at the old Arsenal. In 1923, the newly completed Centennial Building (now known as the Hewlett Building) was home to the museum's expanding collections. By the late 1940s, the facility was experiencing greater use by visitors. Workshops were overcrowded, and laboratories without running water or other modern features were limiting research capabilities. The goal was to build a new building, specifically designed to serve as a museum housing extensive collections in the natural sciences, anthropology and art of Illinois. Fifty years later, we can look back and realize that the building, which was considered a "goal" in 1952, is the present-day Illinois State Museum. It opened in 1963 at the comer of Spring and Edwards streets in the capitol complex, Springfield. And. planning currently is underway for a new Illinois State Museum—construction that would expand the existing facility and provide "a new opportunity to tell the story of Illinois—its land, life, people and art." Changing Times We live in rapidly changing times, and for decades, the state museum has been known for its innovative approach to collecting and disseminating information on Illinois' natural, cultural and artistic heritage. For example, a Museumobile, the first of its type in the nation, toured the state for 22 years (1949-1971), setting up at county fairs and elementary and secondary schools. Housed in a large, custom-designed van, it relied upon a 150-foot extension cord for electricity. Its 1966 replacement was equipped with a 110-volt generator, its own heating and cooling system and 25 displays that illustrated how humans had used local resources throughout the past.
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As innovative as the Museumobile may have been, its counterpart of the 1990s may have been even more trendy. It had no wheels, but still relied upon an electrical plug and outlet to present state museum exhibits to the schools—this time via the Internet. As in the past, the state museum was on the cutting edge, utilizing the latest in technology to stimulate learning. Today, by partnering with the State Board of Education, schools throughout the state, other museums and educational institutions, the state museum has revolutionized its ability to interact with students of all ages. Through its MuseumLink, on-line educational modules on Illinois art. Native American heritage and natural environments are available for teachers and students in 6th through 12th grades. The ISM also is creating ISM Geology Online—a new area on the website with a variety of geology teaching resources. The Museum's Technology Learning Center at the Research and Collections Center is being used for teacher training and classes for students and the general public, and provides access to collections, data and high-tech equipment. The center has been used for the "GeoExplorer Institute" teacher training program, "Silicon Saturdays" for Big Brothers/Big Sisters, public programs on such topics as digital restoration of old photographs and an after-school "Museum Tech Academy" for underserved students in grades six through eight. Renovations An extensive $6.5 million project to renovate the natural history exhibits on the museum's first floor currently is underway. When completed, visitors will be able to explore 500 million years of Illinois' environmental history. Called "Changes: Dynamic Illinois Environments," the new exhibit is designed to make the point that change is continual by examining the forces that promote change. Another goal is to create a warm and friendly atmosphere and engage visitors in discovering the past and present. Visitors will begin their journey in the "Tropical Illinois" environment, where they will experience Illinois as it was at a time when "shifting continents left Illinois near the equator." Visitors will feel as though they are underwater and will encounter large-scale dioramas and interactive exhibits depicting marine life of 340 million years ago. May 2002 3
Then, it's on to the "Frozen Illinois" section that will depict the Ice Age of 2 million years ago and illustrate environmental changes during that period. A full glacial diorama will feature the extinct giant short-faced bear. The museum's signature mastodon skeleton will be remounted in this area, along with other Ice Age giants. All of the changes depicted in these first two sections occurred before human habitation, which began 12,000 years ago. The final section of the exhibit is "The Current Interglacial." It will cover the most recent 12,000 years of environmental change and will include a new Illinois River diorama depicting a section of the river and a backwater lake in A.D. 1673. A spectacular flock of Carolina Parakeets will be mounted overhead. Nearly all of the museum's renowned dioramas will be included in the new exhibit, which is designed to engender a better understanding of environmental change and environmental issues. A grand opening is slated for late 2002 or early 2003.
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