Rivian: Bloomington's Battery-Powered 'Car of Tomorrow'
Tuesday, September 24th
6:00pm – 8:00pm

Long before the emergence of Rivian Automotive, the Twin Cities was center stage for another battery-powered vehicle — the gone-bu...

DAR America 250 American Revolutionary War Marker Dedication & Reception
Saturday, September 21st
1:30pm – 3:00pm

Join the Letitia Green Stevenson Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution for a dedication of a new hi...

Navegando una Nueva Comunidad: Recent Immigrant Arrivals in the Bloomington-Normal Community
Tuesday, September 17th
6:00pm – 7:30pm

Kick off Latino Heritage Month at the Museum with a panel discussion focusing on stories of recent migration to McLean County. Thi...

Lunch & Learn: Arcadia - America's Playable Arcade Museum
Thursday, September 12th
12:10pm – 12:50pm

Bring your lunch and join us to learn about Arcadia: America's Playable Arcade Museum, located along historic Route 66, on Th...

Lunch & Learn
Evergreen Cemetery Walk Tickets On Sale
Tuesday, September 10th – Sunday, October 13th
9:00am

Ticket sales for the 30th and Final Evergreen Cemetery Walk begin on September 10, 2024.There are eight opportunities to participa...

Asbestos Exhibit Opening
Saturday, September 7th
1:30pm – 2:30pm

The Museum, with financial support from LiUNA! Midwest Region Laborer's International Union of North America, is proud to pre...

Bent Elementary School 100 Year Celebration
Saturday, September 7th
4:00pm – 6:00pm

Celebrate 100 years of Bent Elementary on Saturday, September 7 from 4pm - 6pm at Bent. Stop by anytime.Building tours. Historical...

Unity Community Garden Tour Day - Ginger, Cover Crops, Vegetable Tips and More!
Thursday, September 5th
10:00am – 11:00am 5:30pm – 6:30pm

Tour of Unity Community Center Food Production and Demonstration GardenAs part of the Museum's Seeds of History initiative, t...

Museum and Visitors Center Closed for Labor Day
Monday, September 2nd
9:00am – 5:00pm

The Museum and Cruisin' with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center will be closed in observance of Labor Day. We will reopen on Tuesd...

In the Spotlight: Antoinette Concello presented by Maureen Brunsdale
Saturday, August 10th
2:00pm – 3:00pm

Join us on Saturday, August 10, at 2 p.m. to learn about Antoinette Concello, a local circus legend often referred to as "the...

Online + In Person
McLean County Ag History Bus Tour
Thursday, August 8th
8:00am – 12:30pm

The Museum, in partnership with the McLean County Farm Bureau, is excited to offer an Ag-mazing Bus Tour narrated by Librarian Bil...

History Reads Book Club: Cahokia- Ancient America's Great City on the Mississippi
Tuesday, August 6th
7:00pm – 8:00pm

All are welcome to join the Museum and Bloomington Public Library on Tuesday, August 6 at 7:00 p.m. for the third installment of t...

Online + In Person
Knit In at Illinois Art Station
Saturday, August 3rd
10:00am – 1:00pm

Calling ALL Knitters and Crocheters, grab your needles and hooks, some yarn, a friend or two, and come and knit for a bit!The thir...

PRIDE Fest
Saturday, August 3rd
4:00pm – 10:00pm

The Bistro's sixth annual PRIDE Fest will be on Saturday, August 3, 2024, from 4-10 p.m. around the Museum Square and outside...

Museum Closed for Staff Development Day
Wednesday, July 31st

The Museum and its Cruisin' with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center & Gift Shop closes for a day once every quarter to hold st...

Futures in History: Curious Curators
Tuesday, July 23rd
12:30pm – 5:00pm 12:30pm – 5:00pm

Learn about museums from the professionals at the McLean County Museum of History! On day one, participants will get a behind the ...

For kids
Futures in History: Adventures in Archaeology
Tuesday, July 16th
8:30am – 12:30pm 8:30am – 12:30pm

Come get your hands dirty and dig up some fun! During this Mini-Camp, participants will spend their first day learning about archa...

For kids
A History of the Evergreen Cemetery Walk with Candace Summers
Thursday, July 11th
6:00pm – 7:30pm

Discover the fascinating history of the Evergreen Cemetery Walk, a view into our local past presented for 30 years by McLean Count...

First Friday: Get Your Kicks on Route 66
Friday, July 5th
5:00pm – 8:00pm

Head down to the Museum Square in historic Downtown Bloomington to get your kicks on Route 66 this weekend!On Friday, July 5, from...

Back 2 School Supply Drive
Friday, July 5th – Saturday, August 3rd

Now through August 3, the Museum will be participating in the Back 2 School Alliance School Supply Drive to help collect school su...

Closed for the Fourth of July
Thursday, July 4th
9:00am – 5:00pm

The Museum and its Cruisin' with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center will be closed in observance of the July 4th holiday. We will ...

Route History 66 Virtual Reality Tour Comes to Bloomington
Sunday, June 30th
2:00pm – 3:30pm

The Bloomington Normal Black History Project in partnership with Route History of Springfield will present to the community a Virt...

Futures in History Camp 2024
Monday, June 24th – Friday, June 28th
9:00am – 4:00pm

Futures in History Camp 2024 is coming! This 5-day camp experience includes facilitation by Museum staff and other experts, all ma...

For kids
Narrative Threads: Community Quilting with Illinois Art Station and Community Partners
Saturday, June 22nd
2:00pm – 4:00pm

Five years ago, in May 2019, Illinois Art Station embarked on a community quilt project to celebrate and commemorate the threads o...

Bloomington-Normal Juneteenth Celebration at Miller Park
Saturday, June 22nd
11:00am – 4:00pm

Join the Bloomington-Normal Black History Project and the City of Bloomington for a fun-filled day as we celebrate the Juneteenth ...

Funks Grove 200th Celebration at Funk Prairie Home Museum
Saturday, June 22nd
11:00am – 4:00pm

Join the Funk Prairie Home and Gem and Mineral Museum as we commemorate the 200th anniversary of the settling of Funks Grove in 18...

Free Admission in Honor of Juneteenth
Wednesday, June 19th
9:00am – 5:00pm

In honor of Juneteenth, the McLean County Museum of History will offer free admission from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, June 19,...

Closing Early at 3 PM for the History Makers Gala
Tuesday, June 18th
3:00pm – 8:00pm

The Museum and its Cruisin' with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center & Gift Shop will close at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, June 18, 2024...

2024 History Makers Gala
Tuesday, June 18th
5:30pm – 8:00pm

Each year, the History Makers Gala recognizes long-standing residents whose outstanding, life-long contributions of time and talen...

Narrative Threads: Community Quilting with Illinois Art Station and Community Partners
Saturday, June 8th
10:00am – 1:00pm

Five years ago, in May 2019, Illinois Art Station embarked on a community quilt project to celebrate and commemorate the threads o...

Guided Social Justice Walking Tour
Monday, June 3rd
6:00pm – 8:00pm

The McLean County Museum of History is offering a Social Justice Walking Tour on Monday, June 3 from 6 to 8 p.m. to explore local ...

Museum and Visitors Center Closed for Memorial Day
Monday, May 27th
9:00am – 5:00pm

The Museum and Cruisin' with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center will be closed for the Memorial Day holiday. We will reopen on Tue...

Narrative Threads: Community Quilting with Illinois Art Station and Community Partners
Saturday, May 18th
3:00pm – 4:30pm

Five years ago, in May 2019, Illinois Art Station embarked on a community quilt project to celebrate and commemorate the threads o...

Narrative Threads: Community Quilting with Illinois Art Station and Community Partners
Tuesday, May 14th
5:30pm – 7:00pm

Five years ago, in May 2019, Illinois Art Station embarked on a community quilt project to celebrate and commemorate the threads o...

Evergreen Cemetery Walk Auditions
Tuesday, May 14th
6:30pm – 8:00pm

The Museum, Illinois Voices Theatre Echoes, and Evergreen Memorial Cemetery are pleased to announce the dates for auditions for th...

Evergreen Cemetery Walk Auditions
Monday, May 13th
6:30pm – 8:00pm

The Museum, Illinois Voices Theatre Echoes, and Evergreen Memorial Cemetery are pleased to announce the dates for auditions for th...

Knit In at Bloomington Public Library
Saturday, May 11th
10:00am – 1:00pm

Calling ALL Knitters and Crocheters, grab your needles and hooks, some yarn, a friend or two, and come and knit for a bit!The seco...

Lunch and Learn: All About Wind Turbines with Meghan Reha
Thursday, May 9th
12:10pm – 1:00pm

Renewable energy expert Meghan Reha (she/her) will introduce some of the wind turbines that produce electricity around McLean Coun...

History Reads Book Club: The Woman They Could Not Silence
Tuesday, May 7th
7:00pm – 8:00pm

All are welcome to join the Museum and Bloomington Public Library on Tuesday, May 7, at 7:00 p.m. for the second installment of th...

Online + In Person
2024 Red Carpet Corridor Festival
Saturday, May 4th
9:00am – 5:00pm

Downtown Bloomington is the place to be this weekend. Kick off the travel season with the Red Carpet Corridor Festival at the McLe...

Every Saturday at 9:00am

Museum at the Market

Museum at the Farmer's Market presented by Illinois Farm BureauSaturdays on the Museum Square in Downtown Bloomington May thr...

Sembrando Raíces: Oral Histories of Latinos in Central Illinois
Saturday, April 27th
9:00am – 12:00pm

Join us in hearing from ISU seniors in Dr. Maura Toro-Morn's sociology capstone class who have conducted oral history intervi...

Online + In Person
A Black Woman’s Journey from Cotton Picking to College Professor: Lessons about Race, Class, and Gender in the United States with Author Dr. Menah Pratt Clarke
Thursday, April 25th
12:10pm – 1:00pm

A Black Woman's Journey from Cotton Picking to College Professor: Lessons about Race, Class, and Gender in America by Dr. Men...

2024 Futures in History Camp Registration Begins
Wednesday, April 24th
9:00am

Futures in History Camp 2024 is coming! This 5-day camp experience includes facilitation by Museum staff and other experts, all ma...

For kids
Josh Henderson's "One More Night" presented by pt.fwd
Tuesday, April 23rd
7:00pm – 8:00pm

The Museum, in partnership with pt.fwd, is excited to host composer and musician Josh Henderson for his "One More Night"...

Sweet Greeks: First-Generation Immigrant Confectioners in the Heartland with Author Ann Flesor Beck
Saturday, April 20th
1:00pm – 2:00pm

The Museum is pleased to host Dr. Ann Flesor Beck for a program exploring the history of the first generation of Greeks coming to ...

Online + In Person
NPL Young Author's Poster Display
Monday, April 15th – Tuesday, April 30th
9:00am – 5:00pm

The Museum, in partnership with Normal Public Library, is pleased to host the student winners of the Unit 5 Young Authors contest....

Holi Moli - A Festival of Color
Saturday, April 13th
1:00pm – 4:00pm

NCHS' South Asian Performing Arts Students are proud to present: A Festival of Colors: Holi Moli!Every spring, the Indian sub...

2024 Slow Art Day on Route 66
Saturday, April 13th
10:00am – 2:00pm

Founded in 2010, Slow Art Day is an annual global event that aims to help more people discover the joy of looking at and appreciat...

Lunch & Learn: Creating a Sensory Garden with U of I Extension Brittnay Haag
Thursday, April 11th
12:10pm – 1:00pm

Bring your lunch and join us to learn about sensory gardens with U of I Extension educator Brittnay Haag on Thursday, April 11, 20...

Lunch & Learn
Wet or Dry? Prohibition in McLean County at Cheney's Grove Township Library
Thursday, April 11th
2:00pm – 3:00pm

Join Candace Summers, Senior Director of Education at the McLean County Museum of History, for an illustrated program about Prohib...

"Connect the Dots" with Autism McLean at the Museum
Saturday, April 6th
3:00pm – 5:00pm

Kick-off Autism Awareness Month with this Autism Friendly Community "Connect the Dots" Event hosted at the Museum by Aut...

Museum Closed for Staff Development Day
Wednesday, April 3rd

The Museum and its Cruisin' with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center & Gift Shop closes for a day once every quarter to hold st...

2024 History Makers Honoree Reveal
Wednesday, March 27th
11:00am – 12:00pm

Join us on Wednesday, March 27 at 11 a.m. in the Museum's Courtroom, or live online via the Museum's YouTube Channel as ...

50 Years of Women's Rights: an Interactive and Intergenerational Exploration
Saturday, March 23rd
2:00pm – 4:00pm

The Museum and League of Women Voters of McLean County are excited to welcome folks of all ages to join us on Saturday, March 23, ...

Electric Vehicles Town Hall presented by the EVTown Steering Committee and the MCLP Electrifiers
Saturday, March 16th
1:00pm – 4:00pm

The Museum is excited to host a town hall meeting on electric vehicles, organized and presented by the EVTown Steering Committee a...

Lunch and Learn: "The Greening of the Prairie", Irish Immigration into the upper Midwest with Greg Koos
Thursday, March 14th
12:10pm – 1:00pm

Bring your lunch and join us to learn more about the history of Irish immigration in the Midwest from the Museum's Executive ...

Women's History Month
Friday, March 1st – Sunday, March 31st

Discover Local Women's History at the McLean County Museum of History! The Museum's latest Rotunda Installation will be ...

To Be a Writer, One Must Be a Reader: The Life and Work of Clara Louise Kessler at Cheney's Grove Township Library
Monday, February 26th
11:00am – 12:00pm

Clara Louise Kessler was an author, a teacher, and a librarian who had a lifelong interest in books, poetry, songs, and children. ...

Growing Up Gen X with Erica Holst
Saturday, February 24th
2:00pm – 3:30pm

Join us online and in person on Saturday, February 24, at 2 p.m. to explore what it meant to grow up as "Gen X" with the...

Online + In Person
Crafting History: Fun with Fragrance
Tuesday, February 20th
6:00pm – 7:00pm

Join us for Crafting History: Fun with Fragrance on Tuesday, February 20, at 6 p.m. to create your own solid perfume and learn mor...

Online + In Person
Knit In at Normal Public Library
Saturday, February 17th
10:00am – 1:00pm

Calling ALL Knitters and Crocheters, grab your needles and hooks, some yarn, a friend or two, and come and knit for a bit!The firs...

The Bloomington-Normal Black History Project Presents: A Reunion: Neighbors, Friends and Musicians
Saturday, February 17th
1:00pm – 2:30pm

The Bloomington- Normal Black History Project Presents:A Reunion: Neighbors, Friends and MusiciansPanel II Saturday February 17  ...

Online + In Person
Museum Closed for Staff Development Day
Wednesday, February 14th

The Museum and its Cruisin' with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center & Gift Shop closes for a day once every quarter to hold st...

The Bloomington-Normal Black History Project Presents: A Reunion: The Booker T. Washington Home
Saturday, February 10th
1:00pm – 2:00pm

The Bloomington- Normal Black History Project Presents:A Reunion: Neighbors, Friends and MusiciansPanel I Saturday, February 10  ...

Online + In Person
Lunch & Learn: Game Development with Ben Rosset and Jamie Mathy
Thursday, February 8th
12:10pm – 1:00pm

Learn about the ongoing board game renaissance with local game designer Ben Rosset and owner of Red Racoon Games, Jamie Mathy, on ...

Lunch & Learn
Online + In Person
History Reads Book Club: "Mary Jane's Ghost: The Legacy of a Murder in Small Town America" by Ted Gregory
Tuesday, February 6th
7:00pm – 8:00pm

We're kicking off the 2024 History Reads Book Club season with a special, joint meeting with the True Crime Book Club to disc...

Online + In Person
Tour de Chocolat
Friday, February 2nd
5:00pm – 8:00pm

Stop by the Museum anytime from 5-8 p.m. on Friday, February 2, to enjoy samplings of local chocolate and learn more about the his...

MLK Day Free Admission to the Museum
Monday, January 15th
9:00am – 5:00pm

Enjoy free admission all day on the MLK Day Holiday Monday, January 15th. We invite to reflect and learn about our local history.C...

Lunch & Learn: Bloomington's Streetcar Era with Librarian Bill Kemp
Thursday, January 11th
12:10pm – 1:00pm

Did you know trolley cars plied the streets of the Twin Cities from the years after the Civil War into the Great Depression? Prior...

Lunch & Learn
Crafting History: Embroidering Festive Felt Ornaments
Tuesday, December 19th
6:00pm – 7:30pm

Join us for Crafting History: Embroidering Festive Felt Ornaments on Tuesday, December 19, at 6 p.m. to embroider your own felt or...

Lunch & Learn: Relocating the Nativity in Song and Celebration with Adriana Ponce
Thursday, December 14th
12:10pm – 1:00pm

Bring your lunch and head over to the Museum (or to youtube.com/@mchistorymuseum) to learn from Illinois Wesleyan professor of Mus...

Lunch & Learn
Online + In Person
Christmas Under the Dome: Saturday Celebration
Saturday, December 2nd
11:00am – 2:00pm

Join the Museum on Friday AND Saturday for free, festive fun during Christmas Under the Dome!Friday, December 1, we'll be ope...

First Friday: Christmas Under the Dome
Friday, December 1st
5:00pm – 8:00pm

Join the Museum on Friday AND Saturday for free, festive fun during Christmas Under the Dome!Friday, December 1, we'll be ope...

Knit In at the Museum
Saturday, November 18th
10:00am – 1:00pm

We are back in person! We will be holding the final Knit In of 2023 at the Museum on Saturday, November 18 from 10:00 a.m. until 1...

Internationalism and the Twin Cities: The Work of Architect A. Richard Williams
Thursday, November 16th
6:00pm

The Old House Society will be hosting the Museum's Librarian, Bill Kemp, for a program on the architecture of A. Richard Will...

No Crybabies Allowed: Book Reading and Signing with Terri Ryburn
Tuesday, November 14th
6:30pm

The Museum is pleased to welcome author Terri Ryburn, who will do a reading and signing of her book No Crybabies Allowed: The Past...

Online + In Person
Claire Rousay in Concert featuring Emily How Presented by pt.fwd
Thursday, November 9th
7:00pm – 8:00pm

Claire Rousay is based in Los Angeles. Her music zeroes in on personal emotions and the minutiae of everyday life -- voicemails, h...

Lunch and Learn: The Art of the Rug with Hossein Nateghpour
Thursday, November 9th
12:10pm – 1:00pm

Bring your lunch and head over to the Museum (or to youtube.com/@mchistorymuseum) to learn from Hossein Nateghpour, owner of Pars ...

Lunch & Learn
History Reads Book Club: When Women Played Hardball
Wednesday, November 8th
7:00pm – 8:00pm

All are welcome to join the Museum and Bloomington Public Library on Wednesday, November 8, at 7:00 p.m. for the final installment...

History Reads Book Club
Online + In Person
Virtual Evergreen Cemetery Walk
Friday, November 3rd – Thursday, November 30th
9:00am

The Museum, in partnership with Evergreen Memorial Cemetery, Broadleaf Media, and Illinois Voices Theatre Echoes, is thrilled to o...

Online only
Merwin Gallery Reopening Reception
Friday, November 3rd
5:00pm – 8:00pm

Join us to celebrate the reopening of the Merwin Gallery on Friday, November 3, 2023 from 5-8 p.m. during the the 23rd Annual Art ...

Unconquerable: The Kickapoo of Central Illinois
Thursday, November 2nd
7:00pm

The Kickapoo, a fiercely independent people, inhabited this stretch of Central Illinois when the first Euro-American settlers arri...

Online only
Día de Muertos Celebration
Wednesday, November 1st
4:00pm – 7:00pm

Celebrate Día de Muertos with us on Wednesday, November 1, 2023, from 4-7 p.m. All ages are welcome to this free event featuring l...

Member Appreciation Month
Wednesday, November 1st – Thursday, November 30th

Members make our mission a reality. To express our gratitude, we are offering a month filled with member-exclusive events, discoun...

Untold African American Stories: Springfield's Lincoln Colored Home
Saturday, October 28th
1:30pm – 2:30pm

A seemingly ordinary vacant brick building with shuttered windows sits on South 12th Street in Springfield. This building once ser...

Online + In Person
Downtown Trick or Treat
Friday, October 27th
5:00pm – 8:00pm

Spooky season is upon us, and the Museum is excited to once again participate in the annual Downtown Bloomington Trick or Treat! B...

CLOSED -- Staff Development Day
Thursday, October 26th

We are closed to the public today for a Staff Development Day. We apologize for any inconvenience. We will reopen Friday, October ...

The Lincoln Miracle: An Evening with Ed Achorn
Tuesday, October 24th
6:30pm – 8:00pm

The Museum is pleased to welcome back Edward Achorn, author and Pulitzer Prize finalist for Commentary, for a hybrid program on hi...

Online + In Person
Route 66 Miles of Possibility Conference
Thursday, October 19th – Sunday, October 22nd
11:00am – 11:00am

The Miles of Possibility organization will kick off their eighth annual Route 66 Conference scheduled for Bloomington-Normal Octob...

Crafting History: Practicing Pinch Pots
Tuesday, October 17th
6:00pm – 7:30pm

Join the Museum for our fourth installment in the Crafting History series to learn about the history of ceramic crafts and make a ...

Historic Marker Dedication for the Old Soldier's Monument in Briarwood Subdivision
Tuesday, October 17th
10:30am – 11:30am

Join us to dedicate a new descriptive marker at the site of a previously unmarked Civil War memorial remnant in Bloomington's...

Light up the Museum Square for Latinx Heritage Month
Friday, October 13th – Sunday, October 15th
5:00pm

Head down to the Museum Square to check out our light display in honor of Latinx Heritage Month, starting at dusk on Friday, Octob...

Lincoln in 1859: Testing the Waters and Advancing the Cause with Guy Fraker
Thursday, October 12th
12:10pm – 12:50pm

Grab your lunch and head to the Museum for our next Lunch & Learn with local author and historian Guy Fraker. Fraker will pres...

Lunch & Learn
The State of Hate
Tuesday, October 10th
7:00pm – 8:00pm

This program will feature the Anti-Defamation League Midwest Associate Regional Director Trent Spoolstra, who will discuss the lat...

Evergreen Cemetery Walk
Sunday, October 8th
11:00am – 1:00pm 2:00pm – 4:00pm

The 2023 Evergreen Cemetery Walk will be held in-person on September 30 and October 1, and October 7-8 with performances at 11:00...

Online + In Person
Evergreen Cemetery Walk
Saturday, October 7th
11:00am – 1:00pm October 7th at 2:00pm – October 5th at 4:00pm

The 2023 Evergreen Cemetery Walk will be held in-person on September 30 and October 1, and October 7-8 with performances at 11:00...

Online + In Person
Evergreen Cemetery Walk
Sunday, October 1st
11:00am – 1:00pm 2:00pm – 4:00pm

The 2023 Evergreen Cemetery Walk will be held in-person on September 30 and October 1, and October 7-8 with performances at 11:00...

Online + In Person
Museum at the Market
Saturday, September 30th
9:00am – 12:00pm

Join us at the Downtown Bloomington Farmers’ Market. Stop by the Museum’s plaza on Washington Street to purchase all your local hi...

Evergreen Cemetery Walk
Saturday, September 30th
11:00am – 1:00pm 2:00pm – 4:00pm

The 2023 Evergreen Cemetery Walk will be held in-person on September 30 and October 1, and October 7-8 with performances at 11:00...

Online + In Person
Museum at the Market
Saturday, September 23rd
9:00am – 12:00pm

Join us at the Downtown Bloomington Farmers’ Market. Stop by the Museum’s plaza on Washington Street to purchase all your local hi...

Ballists, Dead Beats, and Muffins: Inside Early Baseball in Illinois
Saturday, September 16th
1:30pm – 2:30pm

Join us to explore baseball's growth post-Civil War and Central Illinois' unique contributions to the early game at 1:30...

Online + In Person
Lunch & Learn: Introducing the 2023 Evergreen Cemetery Walk
Thursday, September 14th
12:10pm – 12:50pm

Join the McLean County Museum of History for the first Lunch & Learn of the 2023-2024 season with the Museum's Senior Dir...

Online + In Person
The Politics of Labels: Latino, Latinx, Hispanic, and What Else; The view from the Heartland
Tuesday, September 12th
7:00pm – 8:00pm

The Museum is excited to host another installment of "The Politics of Labels: Latino, Latinx, Hispanic, and What Else" p...

Online + In Person
Evergreen Cemetery Walk Tickets On Sale
Tuesday, September 5th – Sunday, October 8th
9:00am

Ticket sales for the 2023 Evergreen Cemetery Walk are now on sale. Tickets can be purchased in-person at the Museum or Evergreen M...

Online + In Person
Museum closed for Labor Day holiday
Monday, September 4th

The Museum will reopen on Tuesday, September 5 at 9:00 a.m....

Museum at the Market
Saturday, September 2nd
9:00am – 12:00pm

Join us at the Downtown Bloomington Farmers’ Market. Stop by the Museum’s plaza on Washington Street to purchase all your local hi...

Lacto-Fermentation 101: DIY Kimchi with the University of Illinois Extension -REGISTRATION CLOSED!
Tuesday, August 29th
5:30pm – 6:30pm

Using cabbage grown in the Museum's "Seeds of History" Victory Garden at the Westside Community Gardens, educators ...

Crafting History: Wonders of Weaving
Wednesday, August 23rd
6:00pm – 7:00pm

Join us again for Crafting History on August 23 at 6 PM! We'll have our expert historic crafter and Curator of Collections, J...

Online + In Person
Museum at the Illinois State Fair
Saturday, August 19th
9:00am – 4:00pm

What’s better than cattle shows, corn dogs, giant slides, and cows made completely out of butter? All of those things plus fun and...

Museum at the Market
Saturday, August 19th
9:00am – 12:00pm

Join us at the Downtown Bloomington Farmers’ Market. Stop by the Museum’s plaza on Washington Street to purchase all your local hi...

Museum Closed for Staff Development Day
Thursday, August 17th

The Museum will reopen on Friday, August 18 at 9:00 a.m....

Bloomington Stars Took Flight at the YMCA marker unveiling
Saturday, August 12th
2:00pm

The Bloomington Stars Take Flight, in collaboration with the McLean County Museum of History, Milner Library at Illinois State Uni...

Museum at the Market
Saturday, August 5th
9:00am – 12:00pm

Join us at the Downtown Bloomington Farmers’ Market. Stop by the Museum’s plaza on Washington Street to purchase all your local hi...

CANCELED- Knit In at Hangar Art Co.
Saturday, August 5th
10:00am – 1:00pm

...

Marker Dedication: Booker T. Washington Home
Thursday, August 3rd
11:00am – 12:00pm

The McLean County Museum of History, in collaboration with the City of Bloomington and the Illinois State The McLean County Museum...

History Reads Book Club: Wreck of the Columbia
Tuesday, August 1st
7:00pm – 8:00pm

All avid readers are welcome to join the Museum and Bloomington Public Library on Tuesday, August 1 at 7:00 p.m. for the third ins...

History Reads Book Club
PRIDE Fest
Saturday, July 29th
4:00pm – 10:00pm

The Bistro's fifth annual PRIDE Fest will be on Saturday, July 29, 2023, from 4-10 p.m. around the Museum Square and outside ...

Light up the Museum Square for PRIDE Fest
Friday, July 28th – Sunday, July 30th
5:00pm

Head down to the Museum Square to check out our rainbow light display for Bloomington's PRIDE Fest, starting at dusk on Frida...

Museum at the Market
Saturday, July 22nd
9:00am – 12:00pm

Join us at the Downtown Bloomington Farmers’ Market. Stop by the Museum’s plaza on Washington Street to purchase all your local hi...

Historic Marker Dedication: Simon Malone & Normal's First African American Residents
Thursday, July 20th
11:30am – 12:30pm

The McLean County Museum of History will dedicate a new historical marker created to share the story of Normal's early Africa...

The ISU Quad: Gateway to the Wider World
Saturday, July 15th
11:00am – 1:00pm

SOLD OUT! We have started a waiting list for this tour in case of any last minute cancellations. If you would like to be added to ...

Futures in History Day Camp Session 2
Monday, July 10th – Friday, July 14th

This out-of-this-world, 5-day camp experience includes facilitation by Museum staff and other experts, all materials needed for ha...

Route 66 Art Trail Scavenger Hunt
Friday, July 7th
5:00pm – 8:00pm 8:30am – 5:00pm

Visit the Museum, other Downtown Bloomington businesses, art galleries, and studio spaces to get your Route 66 kicks during the Ju...

Museum Closed for Fourth of July
Tuesday, July 4th

The Museum and its Crusin' with Lincoln on 66 Visitors' Center will be closed in observance of Independence Day on July ...

Museum at the Market
Saturday, July 1st
9:00am – 12:00pm

Join us at the Downtown Bloomington Farmers’ Market. Stop by the Museum’s plaza on Washington Street to purchase all your local hi...

Back 2 School Supply Drive
Saturday, July 1st – Friday, August 4th
9:00am – 5:00pm

Back 2 School Supply Drive – We Need your Help!Now through August 4, the Museum will be participating in the Back 2 School Allianc...

Crafting History: Dyeing with Dinner Scraps
Wednesday, June 28th
6:00pm – 7:00pm

Our next Crafting History will be on June 28th at 6pm. Crafting History: Dyeing with Dinner Scraps will bring the process of solar...

Online only
Kickapoo Marker Dedication
Thursday, June 22nd
10:00am – 11:00pm

The McLean County Museum of History, in partnership with the Kickapoo Tribe in Kansas, Illinois State Historical Society, and McLe...

2023 History Makers Gala
Wednesday, June 21st
5:30pm

Join us in celebrating the legacies of our 2023 History Makers (Dotti Bushnell, Mary & Hank Campbell, Willie and Charles Halbe...

Museum at the Market
Saturday, June 17th
9:00am – 12:00pm

Join us at the Downtown Bloomington Farmers’ Market. Stop by the Museum’s plaza on Washington Street to purchase all your local hi...

Juneteenth Community Celebration
Saturday, June 17th – Saturday, October 5th
12:00pm – 6:30pm

Please join us for a day of celebration, information & inspiration during this year'sJuneteenth Celebration - Featuring E...

Spoken Word: An Evening with Shatriya Smith - Poet Laureate of Springfield
Thursday, June 15th
6:00pm – 8:00pm

In recognition of Juneteenth, the Coalescence Theatre Project and the Bloomington-Normal Black History Project, an affiliate organ...

Futures in History Day Camp Session 1
Monday, June 12th – Friday, June 16th

This out-of-this-world, 5-day camp experience includes facilitation by Museum staff and other experts, all materials needed for ha...

Museum at the Market
Saturday, June 3rd – Saturday, October 5th
9:00am – 12:00pm

Join us at the Downtown Bloomington Farmers’ Market. Stop by the Museum’s plaza on Washington Street to purchase all your local hi...

Pride in the Park
Friday, June 2nd
12:00pm – 3:00pm

Join the Museum and our community partners, Bloomington Public Library and Normal Public Library, at the Franklin Park Bookmobile ...

Guided Social Justice Walking Tour
Thursday, June 1st
5:30pm – 7:30pm

The Museum is proud to launch its new Social Justice Walking Tour website in partnership with Not In Our Town (NIOT), thanks to a ...

PRIDE Flag Display
Thursday, June 1st – Friday, June 30th

The month of June has long been LGBTQIA+ Pride Month in honor of the Stonewall riots, which took place in New York City in June 19...

Museum Closed for Memorial Day
Monday, May 29th

The Museum and its Route 66 Crusin' with Lincoln Visitors' Center and Gift Shop will be closed in observance of Memorial...

History of Beer in Bloomington
Saturday, May 20th
10:00am – 11:00am

Have you ever wondered how the beer scene in Bloomington, Illinois came to be? Could there be a juicy story tucked in there somewh...

Zoom: Lunch & Learn: Combating High Energy Costs with Energy Efficiency and Solar
Thursday, May 11th – Saturday, October 5th
12:10pm – 12:50pm

Join the McLean County Museum of History and Illinois Wesleyan University for the final Lunch & Learn of the 2022-2023 season ...

Lunch & Learn
2023 Evergreen Cemetery Walk Auditions
Tuesday, May 9th
6:00pm – 8:00pm

Announcing auditions for the 2023 Evergreen Cemetery Walk! Auditions will be held on Tuesday, May 9 from 6:00pm until 8:00 pm at F...

Open Sunday - Special Museum Hours
Sunday, May 7th
10:00am – 2:00pm

The Museum and its Cruisin' with Lincoln on 66 Visitors' Center and Gift Shop will be open from 10 AM to 2 PM on Sunday,...

Knit In at Illinois Art Station
Saturday, May 6th – Saturday, October 5th
10:00am – 1:00pm

We are back in person! We will be holding the second Knit In of 2023 at Illinois Art Station on Saturday, May 6 from 10:00 a.m. un...

Route 66 Red Carpet Corridor Festival
Saturday, May 6th – Saturday, October 5th
4:00pm – 10:00pm

There’s no better way to spend a May afternoon than with savory barbeque, delicious drinks and live music in Downtown Bloomington....

Museum at the Market
Saturday, May 6th – Saturday, October 28th
9:00am – 12:00pm

Every Saturday May through October 9:00 to 12:00 p.m. Museum at the Market The Museum opens at 8:30 a.m. to all visitors, with FRE...

History Reads Book Club: Sweet Greeks: First-Generation Immigrant Confectioners in the Heartland
Tuesday, May 2nd – Saturday, October 5th
7:00pm – 8:00pm

All avid readers are welcome to join the Museum and Bloomington Public Library on Tuesday, May 2 at 7:00 p.m. for the second insta...

History Reads Book Club
Futures in History Day Camp Registration Opens
Tuesday, May 2nd – Wednesday, May 31st

This out-of-this-world, 5-day camp experience includes facilitation by Museum staff and other experts, all materials needed for ha...

An afternoon with Angela Jackson
Saturday, April 29th
2:00pm – 3:00pm

In recognition of National Library Week, the Museum, in partnership with Normal Public Library and Illinois Humanities, are please...

Online + In Person
Visit the Buseum on Museum Square!
Tuesday, April 25th
2:00pm – 7:00pm

A group of German students are bringing their innovative mobile exhibit about climate change to Downtown Bloomington on the Museum...

Sembrando Raíces: Oral Histories of Latinos in Central Illinois
Friday, April 21st – Saturday, April 22nd
3:00pm – 12:00am 3:00pm – 5:00pm 9:00am – 12:00pm

This two-day conference, on April 21st and 22nd, is being organized and supported by Illinois State University's Department o...

Museum Closed for Staff Development Day
Thursday, April 20th
9:00am – 5:00pm

The Museum will reopen on Friday, April 21 at 9:00 a.m....

Crafting History: Remembering Rag Rugs
Wednesday, April 19th
6:00pm – 7:00pm

Join the McLean County Museum of History and the McLean County Arts Center for the first installment of Crafting History: Remember...

Online only
pt.fwd presents NCHS Experimental Ensemble
Saturday, April 15th
7:00pm – 8:00pm

On Saturday, April 15 at 7:00 p.m., the Museum, is pleased to once again host the Normal Community High School Experimental Ensemb...

Slow Art Day on Route 66
Saturday, April 15th – Saturday, October 5th
10:00am – 2:00pm

The Museum is excited to join 15 other local arts organizations in celebrating Slow Art Day on April 15th from 10 am to 2 pm. We w...

Lunch & Learn: Quirky Sites in Illinois
Thursday, April 13th – Saturday, October 5th
12:10pm – 1:00pm

Join the McLean County Museum of History and Illinois Wesleyan University for the eighth Lunch & Learn of the 2023 season with...

Online + In Person
Lunch & Learn
ACLU presents: Civil Liberties in the 19th century McLean County with Greg Koos
Tuesday, April 11th
7:00pm – 8:30pm

Greg Koos, AuthorExecutive Director EmeritusMcLean County Museum of HistoryKoos will review the story of the diverse peoples and e...

Online + In Person
Holi Moli!
Saturday, April 8th
2:00pm – 6:00pm

HOLI MOLI!! Come to NCHS South Asian Performing Arts club's first community-wide Holi celebration, honoring the changing of s...

Eggs on the Square
Saturday, April 8th
9:00am – 11:00am

Eggs on the Square is free community-wide Easter event for all ages!The Easter egg hunts will take place between 9:15–10:15 AM on ...

YWCA Sexual Assault Awareness Month Clothesline Project
Saturday, April 1st – Saturday, April 29th
9:00am – 5:00pm

The McLean County Museum of History is honored to once again partner with YWCA’s Sexual Assault Awareness Month for the 2023 Cloth...

Autism Friendly Community Event
Saturday, April 1st
3:00pm – 5:00pm

WHERE: McLean County Museum of HistoryWHEN: 3-5 pmWHO: At least 150 of you who would like to help us recreate our logo andcelebrat...

For kids
Light up the Museum Square for Autism Awareness
Friday, March 31st – Sunday, April 2nd
5:00pm – 5:00pm

The Museum is pleased to partner with Autism McLean to light up the Museum Square for Autism Awareness Month. Autism McLean was es...

2023 History Makers -- Honoree Reveal
Thursday, March 30th
11:00am

The McLean County Museum of History will reveal the names of six recipients of the 2023 History Makers award at a press conference...

Online + In Person
My Museum with Bloomington Public Library
Tuesday, March 28th – Saturday, October 5th
2:00pm – 3:00pm

The McLean County Museum of History is partnering with the Bloomington Public Library to present My Museum, a program which aims t...

Family Heirloom Recipes from the Illinois State Fair
Saturday, March 25th – Saturday, October 5th
1:30pm – 3:00pm

The Museum and Bloomington Public Library are pleased to host Catherine Lambrecht, program director for the Highland Park Historic...

Online + In Person
Zoom - MCGS hosts Debra Dudek for " Researching your Irish Ancestors Online"
Tuesday, March 21st
6:00pm – 8:00pm

Please join the McLean County Historical Society (MCGS) for an informative discussion with Debra Dukdek, author of World War I -Ge...

Online only
pt.fwd presents Jeremy Young
Sunday, March 19th – Saturday, October 5th
4:00pm – 5:00pm

The Museum is please to host another sound artist as part of pt.fwd's fifth season! Jeremy Young is a maker of electroacousti...

Pins and Needles: A Fiber Arts Celebration with Normal and Bloomington Public Libraries
Saturday, March 18th – Saturday, October 5th
2:00pm – 4:00pm

Are you a needlework novice thinking about a new hobby? Or a seasoned crafter looking for some new techniques? Explore the wide wo...

NONOpera- L's GA: Lincoln's Gettysburg Address
Saturday, March 4th
7:00pm – 8:30pm

The Museum is pleased to host NONopera for a performance featuring original compositions by regional artists that offers a new per...

Knit In at Normal Public Library
Saturday, February 25th
10:00am – 1:00pm

We are back in person! We will be holding the first Knit In of 2023 at Normal Public Library on Saturday, February 25 from 10:00 a...

Echoes of Purple and Gold with Jack Keefe
Saturday, February 11th
2:00pm – 3:00pm

Join the McLean County Museum of History and Bloomington bread author Jack Keefe for a brief presentation, Q&A, and book signi...

Being Innovative in Bloomington-Normal w/ Jamie Mathy and Kevin McCarthy
Thursday, February 9th
12:10pm – 12:50pm

Join the McLean County Museum of History for the second Lunch & Learn of 2023 with Jamie Mathy and Kevin McCarthy on February ...

Lunch & Learn
Tour de Chocolat 2023
Friday, February 3rd
5:00pm – 8:00pm

The Cruisin with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center and McLean County Museum of History are pleased to once again participate in this a...

Every Tuesday at 5:00pm

Old Time Music (Jam Session)

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 musicia...

Lunch and Learn - Trees: the EAC's Tree Corps Ecology Action Center Initiative as a Public Health and Economic Development Strategy

Thursday, January 12, 2023
12:10 PM

Ecosystem Services From Michael Brown, Executive Director

Trees: the EAC's Tree Corps Ecology Action Center Initiative as a Public Health and Economic Development Strategy

EAC Executive Director Michael Brown will give an overview of the rapid growth of the Tree Corps, the EAC's effort to plant at least 10,000 trees annually for at least 10 years in a row. Trees are the most cost-effective means to improve local air quality and simultaneously help ensure continued economic growth in the Bloomington-Normal and McLean County community.  To watch the live stream please click on the link.  https://www.youtube.com/@mchis...

Museum Closed for New Years

Friday, December 30, 2022
9:00 AM

The Museum and the Cruisin’ with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center will be closed from Friday, December 30, 2022 through Monday, January 2, 2023 for the New Years holiday. We will reopen on Tuesday, January 3, 2023.

Museum Closed for Christmas

Friday, December 23, 2022
9:00 AM

The Museum and the Cruisin’ with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center will be closed from Friday, December 23 through Monday, December 26 in observance of the Christmas holiday. We will reopen on Tuesday, December 27.

Museum will be closed due to incoming inclement weather on Thursday Dec 22

Thursday, December 22, 2022
9:00 AM

Museum will be closed due to incoming inclement weather on Thursday Dec 22

Bloomington- the McLean County Museum of History and Cruisin’ with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center will be closed on Thursday, December 22 due to the incoming inclement weather later in the day.  

Please have a safe and enjoyable holiday and do not travel if you do not need to during the storm.

Christmas Schedule:

The Museum and the Visitors Center will be closed from Friday, December 23 through Monday, December 26 in observance of the Christmas holiday. We will reopen on Tuesday, December 27.

New Year’s Schedule:

The Museum and the Visitors Center will be closed from Friday, December 30, 2022, through Monday, January 2, 2023, for the New Year’s holiday. We will reopen on Tuesday, January 3, 2023.


My Museum: a Museum Themed Storytime

Tuesday, December 20, 2022
2:00 PM

The McLean County Museum of History is partnering with Bloomington Public Library to present My Museum, a virtual program helping children learn about museums. Children will participate in activities and discussions about museums and exhibits based on the books, A Girl in a Museum World by Tellie Simpson and Milo’s Museum by Zetta Elliot. Participants will then create their own self-portrait and explore curation by gathering and labeling personal items that tell their story.

Beginning December 6, registration can be completed online at bit.ly/bplmymuseum, by calling 309.590.6155, or in person at the Children’s Services Desk at the Library.

Online only
For kids
Stocking Stuffing Saturday

Saturday, December 17, 2022
10:00 AM

Stuck on what to put in those holiday stockings? Come shop downtown Bloomington to get some fantastic stocking stuffer ideas. The Cruisin with Lincoln on 66 Visitor Center will be hosting a Pop-Up shop by Labyrinth Made Goods from 10-2. Shop and smell Labyrinth's uniquely scented 100% soy wax premium candles. You will also have the opportunity hear the empowering message behind Labyrinth Made Goods from the women of Labyrinth themselves.

Here's another stocking stuffer idea for you -- RGW Candy! RGW Candy Company has a long history in Central Illinois… and you know we love to support local! These Atlanta, Illinois-made candies are a sweet addition to any stocking. We carry mixed berry bark, dark chocolate mint, peppermint bark, sea salt caramel, and more! To be honest, it’s impossible to pick a favorite because they are all melt-in-your-mouth delicious. You can't go wrong!

Lunch and Learn - Seasonal Choral Music with Scott Ferguson, Professor of Music, the Illinois Wesleyan Director, IWU Collegiate Choir

Thursday, December 8, 2022
12:10 PM

Seasonal Choral Music with Scott Ferguson, Professor of Music

the Illinois Wesleyan Director, IWU Collegiate Choir

University Collegiate Choir

The Illinois Wesleyan University Collegiate Choir will present a brief program of

seasonal choral music featuring compositions by Palestrina, Sweelinck, Mendelssohn,

Dunphy, Wishart, Thalben-Ball, and others. The audience will be invited to join the

choir in singing "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing," and "O Come, All Ye Faithful."

The performance will be live streamed on the Museum's Youtube channel.

Christmas under the Dome

Saturday, December 3, 2022
11:00 AM

The Museum is excited to once again host this community event, which begins immediately following the Jaycees’ Parade and the arrival of Santa. Join us for activities at BOTH the Museum and The Hangar Art Co. on the Museum’s Square. Stop by the Museum for musical performances on the first floor rotunda, Christmas cookies, and hot apple cider. Greg Koos will also be on hand to sign copies of his book. Then, walk over to The Hangar Art Co. on Jefferson Street to visit Santa, make a beaded snowflake craft, and grab a bag of cookies to take home! Don’t miss this free family friendly event!

Music at the Museum will be as follows

11:00 - 11:30 Marcos Mendez

11:30 - 12:15 pm Windsong

12:30 - 1:15 pm Loving Missionary Choir

1:30 - 2:15 Sound of Illinois Chorus

First Friday: Once Upon a Holiday

Friday, December 2, 2022
5:00 PM

Join the Museum for a variety of free, family friendly activities including our Santa on the Square photo op, Tree Lighting on the lawn with the City of Bloomington, and live holiday music by Marcos Mendez. We will have adult eggnog, hot apple cider, and Christmas cookies in the Museum’s rotunda, plus celebrity readings of “Twas the night before Christmas” with Dr. Kristen Weikle, Unit 5 Superintendent, at 6:00 and Dr. David Mouser (District 87 Superintendent) and Amie Mouser (Media Specialist at Tri Valley schools) at 7:00 p.m. 

You don’t want to miss this evening filled with free fun for the whole family! 

From McLean to Mobile: A History of the “The McLean County Regiment”

Tuesday, November 29, 2022
6:30 PM

The Museum, in partnership with the McLean County Genealogical Society and Bloomington Public Library, are pleased to host author and historian William Iseminger, for a presentation on his newest book, From McLean to Mobile: A History of the 94th Illinois Infantry Regiment Volunteers, 1862-1865, “The McLean Regiment” on Tuesday, November 29 at 6:30 p.m. This free, hybrid program will be held in the Museum’s second floor courtroom and live streamed through the Museum’s YouTube channel

Iseminger’s book follows “The McLean County Regiment” from their commissioning in Bloomington, Illinois, in August 1862, through their three years of service in the Union Army. They began training and skirmishing in Missouri, participated in the Battle of Prairie Grove, Arkansas, the siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi, conflicts in Louisiana, garrison duty in Brownsville, Texas, and finally the sieges and battles of Fort Morgan and Spanish Fort in Mobile Bay, Alabama. They mustered out of service in Galveston, Texas, and returned home to McLean County in August 1865.

Iseminger’s research for the book began many years ago when he transcribed the letters and diaries of two of his great-grandfathers who were in the regiment; Tubal Wile Iseminger of Heyworth and Harrison H. Clark of Randolph Station. Over the years, Iseminger located eight more diaries and 257 letters from 22 additional soldiers in the 94th, as well as two oral histories by soldiers, and other sources. Using all of these, he has written a day-by-day account of the regiment’s journey, using the diary entries to create a daily narrative of their activities, battles and encounters, travels, health, the weather, and their thoughts and observations about the people and places they saw. The narrative is enhanced by inserting the transcriptions of their letters on the days they were written, providing more details about their experiences.

William Iseminger was born in Bloomington, Illinois, and grew up in Arlington, Virginia. He majored in anthropology in college, receiving his BA from the University of Oklahoma and his MA from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. He participated in excavations in South Dakota and several locations in Illinois. Bill began working in Illinois archaeology in 1967 when he began his career on a crew at Dickson Mounds. In 1971, he began a 48 ½ year career at Cahokia Mounds as an archaeologist and was instrumental in the research, planning, and implementation of the exhibits of both the on-site museum in the 70s and the Interpretive Center, which opened in 1989. He retired as Assistant Site Manager in December 2019. In addition to this publication, he is the author of numerous magazine articles, book chapters, and Cahokia Mounds: America’s First City (2010) and Identifying and Understanding Artifacts from Illinois and Neighboring States (2014).

Rather than being a detailed military history of the unit, the book is more of a personalized history of the Regiment, from their own views and mostly in their own words. The book has over 100 full-color and black-and-white illustrations, photos, and maps, and includes a roster of all the soldiers in the Regiment. Copies of the book will be available for purchase for $35.00 plus tax, and book signing will immediately follow the program. For more information, please contact education@mchistory.org or 309-827-0428.

Online + In Person
Museum Closed in Recognition of Thanksgiving

Thursday, November 24, 2022
9:00 AM

The Museum and the Cruisin’ with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center will be closed in recognition of Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 24.

Zoom Lunch and Learn- Wastewater Today with Tim Ervin, Executive Director Bloomington Normal Water Reclamation District (BNWRD)

Thursday, November 10, 2022
12:10 PM

On Thursday, November 10 at 12:10 p.m., join the Museum and Illinois Wesleyan University for the second Lunch and Learn of the 2022-2023 season, which will explore the wastewater treatment process in our community with Tim Ervin, Executive Director of the Bloomington-Normal Water Reclamation District (BNWRD). This installment will be held via Zoom. To register to attend, please click here.

Wastewater treatment is a process to reduce pollutants from sewage and transform the sewage into an effluent that can be returned to the water cycle. This program will discuss the origin of wastewater treatment in Bloomington-Normal and its evolution to the modern wastewater treatment facilities in operation today. The presentation will also provide a glimpse of the current and future challenges faced in the wastewater industry, and local actions currently underway to address these issues.

Questions? Please contact the Marketing Department at marketing@mchistory.org. Grab some lunch from your favorite restaurant and join us from wherever you are for this fascinating program!

World War II Memorial Rededication

Saturday, November 5, 2022
1:00 PM

The Museum invites the public to a rededication of the World War II memorial at 1:00 p.m. November 5, 2022, on the east side of the Museum Square. This will be the 25th anniversary for the Memorial. Plans include a military flyover, music, reading of names, and a Military Honor Guard and flag presentation. Plans are in the works to also dedicate a Korean and Vietnam memorial for those soldiers who gave their lives in support of freedom. Bronze tablets have been added to the WWII memorial with raised lettering to better honor our fallen heroes. Additional finishing touches will take place before the November ceremony. We will also be announcing additional historic marker renovation projects in the county. Donations from the community may be made online at http://weblink.donorperfect.com/MarkerMatch

Virtual Evergreen Cemetery Walk

Friday, November 4, 2022
9:00 AM

The Museum, in partnership with Evergreen Memorial Cemetery and Illinois Voices Theatre Echoes, are thrilled to be able to continue offering the Evergreen Cemetery Walk online! From November 4 through 6, 2022 the Virtual Evergreen Cemetery Walk will be streaming online through the Museum's YouTube channel. Click here to access the video recording of the Walk, which will be viewable for FREE to anyone, anywhere. 

This would not have been possible without support from this year's sponsors: Featured Sponsors - Evergreen Memorial Cemetery, Illinois Prairie Community Foundation, Cumulus Radio Bloomington, Pantagraph Media; Premium Sponsors - Deanna Frautshi & Alan Bedell, CEFCU, Heartland Bank & Trust, WGLT, Illinois Farm Bureau, MCK CPAs & Advisors, Bloomington-Normal Convention & Visitors Bureau; Basic Sponsors - McLean County Chamber of Commerce, Dunbar, Breitweiser & Company, LLP., The Painted Wraith Curiosity Shoppe, LLC, and support from our members.

If you would like to make a donation to support the Museum and our ability to continue to present the Evergreen Cemetery Walk online in the future, please click here.

Questions? Or for more information, please contact the Museum's Education Department at education@mchistory.org. 

Online only
Trapped: The 1909 Cherry Mine Disaster

Tuesday, November 1, 2022
7:00 PM

All avid readers are welcome to join the Museum and Bloomington Public Library on Tuesday, November 1 at 7:00 p.m. for the final installment of the History Reads Book Club for 2022. This hybrid discussion will be held in the Governor Fifer Courtroom at the McLean County Museum of History and online via Zoom to discuss Trapped! The 1909 Cherry Mine Disaster by Karen Tintori. Visit bit.ly/bplhistoryvirtual1122 to register for the online discussion or bit.ly/bplhistoryinperson1122 to participate in person.

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.

On a Saturday morning in November of 1909, four hundred and eighty men went down into the mines as they had countless times before. But a fire
erupted in the mine shaft that day and soon burned out of control. By nightfall, more than half the men would either be dead or trapped as officials sealed the mine in an attempt to contain the blaze. Miraculously, twenty men would emerge one week later, but not before the Cherry Mine disaster went down in history as the worst ever coal mine fire in the US—and not before all the treachery and heroism of mankind were revealed.

To request a copy of the book, please contact the Reference Desk at Bloomington Public library at 309-828-6093 or email reference@bloomingtonlibrary.org.

Online + In Person
History Reads Book Club
Light up the Museum Square for Halloween

Friday, October 28, 2022
5:01 PM

Head down to the Museum Square to check out our festive Halloween light display, using our very own building to light the night! Lights start at dusk on October 28 and will stay on through October 30. Grab some treats (but hopefully no tricks) and head down to check out the display!

Downtown Trick or Treat

Friday, October 28, 2022
5:00 PM

Don your best costume, grab your candy bucket, and head to Downtown Bloomington where a variety of businesses will be handing out lots of treats! Stop by the Museum's booth on the Museum Square where we will be handing out non-candy treats as part of the Teal Pumpkin Project, and hosting some Halloween Trivia where you can win fabulous prizes!

Look for a complete listing of all participating businesses and local nonprofits coming soon by visiting the Downtown Bloomington's website at https://www.downtownbloomington.org/

For kids
Día de los Muertos Ofrenda

Monday, October 24, 2022
10:00 AM

Visit the first floor of the McLean County Museum of History from Monday, October 24 through Thursday, November 3 to view an ofrenda in celebration of Día de los Muertos!

During Día de los Muertos, the spirits of deceased loved ones return to the mortal world to visit their family and friends. An ofrenda (Spanish for offering) is an altar created to honor those loved ones and welcome them back for the celebration of life. They are often designed as tiered displays of photos, food, drinks, and items significant to the deceased. This year, our ofrenda is modeled after the trajinera boats of Xochimilco instead, though it contains many of the same offerings. The Xochimilco region is well known for its canal system and colorful trajineras, both of which have become important parts of their Día de los Muertos traditions. A big thank you to Miriam Padilla and her family for creating this year’s incredible display. 

For more information, contact the Education Department at education@mchistory.org.

Wood Grain Elevators and Their Legacy - A Case Study using JH Hawes Grain Elevator

Sunday, October 23, 2022
2:00 PM

A free program brought to you by The City of Atlanta, Illinois with the Illinois Humanities Activate History Grant. Bill Kemp of the McLean County Museum of History will be presenting about wooden grain elevators, with emphasis on JH Hawes Wooden Grain Elevator, the only fully operational grain elevator in Illinois. After the presentation, stick around for a tour inside the JH Hawes Wooden Grain Elevator.*entrance available on the backside of Missy's Sweet Shoppe and through the Welcome Center on 114 SW Arch Street.
Missy’s Sweet Shoppe at the Palms Grill Cafe
110 SW Arch St, Atlanta, Illinois

This is a FREE event. Light refreshments will be provided.10% off your meal order from Country-Aire on the 23rd will benefit the Grain Elevator Committee.


Illinois Main Street Conference Thurs. Oct 20 Day 3

Thursday, October 20, 2022
8:00 AM

Powered by community, dedicated professionals, volunteers, and civic leaders, historic Main Street districts and neighborhood commercial corridors are at the heart of, and essential to, thriving communities.

The 2022 Illinois Main Street Conference brings together leaders, advocates, and cheerleaders to learn from each other and industry experts on how to grow and sustain downtown districts as centers of economic and social opportunity.

Please click to register and see schedule:

https://www.ilmainstreet.org/i...

Illinois Main Street Conference Wed. Oct 19 DAY 2

Wednesday, October 19, 2022
8:00 AM

Powered by community, dedicated professionals, volunteers, and civic leaders, historic Main Street districts and neighborhood commercial corridors are at the heart of, and essential to, thriving communities.

The 2022 Illinois Main Street Conference brings together leaders, advocates, and cheerleaders to learn from each other and industry experts on how to grow and sustain downtown districts as centers of economic and social opportunity.

Please click