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First Friday- First Fright

Event Details

October 3rd at 5:00pm – 8:00pm

McLean County Museum of History

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The Museum and its Cruisin' with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center & Gift Shop will be open and FREE Friday, October 3, from 5 to 8 p.m. for the First Friday festivities happening in Downtown Bloomington.

Stop by the Museum to see our latest curated display Mourning in McLean: The Story of Death, Grieving, and Funerary Customs in McLean County. This display will explore perceptions of death, ritualistic practices, and customary expressions of grief in Central Illinois from the mid-19th century to the early 20th century. Mourning in McLean features rarely seen objects and archival material that explore topics such as post-mortem photography, hairwork, monument makers, cemeteries, mourning attire, in displays on three floors of the historic courthouse. From simple rituals to elaborate ceremonies steeped in tradition, intimate family gatherings, and public displays, these acts of remembrance reflect evolving views on death and mourning.

This program is being held in conjunction with the Museum's current display Mourning in McLean: The Story of Death, Grieving, and Funerary Customs in McLean County, which will be up through November 21, 2025. This curated display and associated program series are sponsored with major support by East Lawn Funeral Home and Memorial Gardens, with additional contributions provided by Evergreen Memorial Cemetery and Kibler-Brady-Ruestman Memorial Home.

For more information on the Downtown First Friday festivities, please click here.

Questions? Click here to contact us.

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The Museum and its Cruisin' with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center & Gift Shop will be open and FREE Friday, October 3, from 5 to 8 p.m. for the First Friday festivities happening in Downtown Bloomington.

Stop by the Museum to see our latest curated display Mourning in McLean: The Story of Death, Grieving, and Funerary Customs in McLean County. This display will explore perceptions of death, ritualistic practices, and customary expressions of grief in Central Illinois from the mid-19th century to the early 20th century. Mourning in McLean features rarely seen objects and archival material that explore topics such as post-mortem photography, hairwork, monument makers, cemeteries, mourning attire, in displays on three floors of the historic courthouse. From simple rituals to elaborate ceremonies steeped in tradition, intimate family gatherings, and public displays, these acts of remembrance reflect evolving views on death and mourning.

This program is being held in conjunction with the Museum's current display Mourning in McLean: The Story of Death, Grieving, and Funerary Customs in McLean County, which will be up through November 21, 2025. This curated display and associated program series are sponsored with major support by East Lawn Funeral Home and Memorial Gardens, with additional contributions provided by Evergreen Memorial Cemetery and Kibler-Brady-Ruestman Memorial Home.

For more information on the Downtown First Friday festivities, please click here.

Questions? Click here to contact us.