Events

Old Time Music (Jam Session)

Every Tuesday 5:00 PM

Join the Old Time Music group every Tuesday from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at the Museum. A laid back and diverse group of musicians that get together weekly.

Museum Open Early for Farmers' Market

Every Saturday until October 29 8:30 AM

Our Museum opens at 8:30 a.m. to all visitors, with free admission until noon!

Cogs and Corsets: A Central Illinois Steampunk Happening

Friday, June 3, 2022 5:00 PM

The Museum is pleased to once again participate in the now fifth annual Cogs & Corsets festival. The Museum will be the site of history presentations, Tea Dueling, Vendors, and a variety of activities held on the Square. Area galleries will feature the work of local and visiting artists alike, and the streets will be bustling with costumed visitors, teapot and dirigible races, and more!

Cogs and Corsets: Dine with the Dead

Saturday, June 4, 2022 11:00 AM

Back by popular demand! Enjoy a picnic lunch on the beautiful grounds of Evergreen Memorial Cemetery (one of Bloomington’s oldest cemeteries) and embark on a one-hour guided tour to learn about funerary customs of the Victorian-era, explore the types of monuments that populate the cemetery, and hear stories of some of the McLean County citizens who reside there.

History Makers Gala

Wednesday, June 15, 2022 5:30 PM

Each year, the History Makers Gala recognizes long-standing residents whose outstanding, life-long contributions of time and talents have helped to make McLean County a better place to live.

Viral Silence: Six Words Concert

Friday, June 24, 2022 7:00 PM

Six Words is a concert-length composition by Edward Breitweiser inspired by local Covid-19 experiences and in collaboration with McLean County non-profits and youth organizations.

Seasons on Henry's Farm: A Year of Food and Life on a Sustainable Farm

Tuesday, August 2, 2022 7:00 PM

Henry’s Farm, run by Henry Brockman, is in central Illinois — some of the richest farming land in the world. There, he and his family — five generations of farmers, including sister Terra, the author — have bucked the traditional agribusiness conventional wisdom by farming in a way that produces healthy, nutritious food for local people in ways that enhance soil, water, air, and all living things in and around the farm. Terra Brockman tells the story of her family and their life on the farm in the form of a year-long memoir (with recipes) that takes readers through each season of life on the farm.

Online + In Person

History Reads Book Club

Trapped: The 1909 Cherry Mine Disaster

Tuesday, November 1, 2022 7:00 PM

Inspired by a refrain of her girlhood—”Your grandfather survived the Cherry Mine disaster”—Karen Tintori began a search for her family’s role in the harrowing tragedy of 1909. She uncovered the stories of victims, survivors, widows, orphans, townspeople, firefighters, reporters, and mine owners, and wove them together to pen Trapped, a riveting account of the tragic day that would inspire America’s first worker’s compensation laws and hasten much-needed child labor reform.

Online + In Person

History Reads Book Club