History Reads Book Club: Abe and Fido
All are welcome to join the Museum and Bloomington Public Library on Tuesday, February 4 at 7:00 p.m. for the first History Reads ...
Closed for Staff Development
The Museum and its Cruisin with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center & Gift Shop will be closed all day on Wednesday, January 29 AND ...
Free Admission in Honor of MLK Day
Enjoy free admission to the Museum all day, Monday, January 20, 2025, in honor of MLK Day. We're inviting folks to come in, r...
Lunch & Learn: Why Care about Air - BNCARE
Bring your lunch and join us to learn more about air from Dr. Alicia Wodika, Associate Professor of Health Sciences at Illinois St...
Closed for New Years Holiday
The Museum and its Cruisin with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center & Gift Shop will be closed all day New Years Eve and New Years D...
Museum and Visitors Center Closed for Christmas Holiday
The Museum and Visitors Center will be closed for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We will reopen for regular business on Thursday...
Lunch & Learn: Christmas Past and Present at Ewing Manor
Bring your lunch and join us for a look at the Christmas Past and Present at Ewing Manor during our Lunch & Learn on Thursday,...
Museum Closed for Staff Development Day
The Museum and its Cruisin' with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center & Gift Shop closes for a day once every quarter to hold st...
Christmas Under the Dome
Join the Museum on Friday AND Saturday for free, festive fun during Christmas Under the Dome!Friday, December 6, we'll be ope...
Christmas Under the Dome
Join the Museum on Friday AND Saturday for free, festive fun during Christmas Under the Dome!Friday, December 6, we'll be ope...
Iconic Livingston's Santa Dedication on the Museum Square
Join us in celebrating the return of the Iconic Livingston Santa to Downtown Bloomington on the Museum Square during Small Busines...
Museum and Visitors Center Closed for Thanksgiving
The Museum and Cruisin' with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center will be closed in observance of Thanksgiving. We will reopen on Fr...
Knit In at the Museum
Calling ALL Knitters and Crocheters, grab your needles and hooks, some yarn, a friend or two, and come and knit for a bit!The fina...
Lunch & Learn: The Next Generation at Rivian
Bring your lunch and join us for a look at the next generation at Rivian during our Lunch & Learn on Thursday, November 14, fr...
Exploring a 700-year-old Native American Village in McLean County with Dr. Logan Miller
The Museum is excited to welcome back Dr. Logan Miller, associate professor of anthropology at Illinois State University, to discu...
Free Admission in Honor of Veterans' Day
In honor of Veterans' Day, Museum admission will be free for all from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m....
History Reads Book Club: Tinder Box- The Iroquois Theater Disaster 1903
All are welcome to join the Museum and Bloomington Public Library on Wednesday, November 6 at 7:00 p.m. for the final 2024 History...
Virtual Grand Finale Evergreen Cemetery Walk
The Museum, in partnership with Evergreen Memorial Cemetery, Broadleaf Media, and Illinois Voices Theatre Echoes, is thrilled to o...
Día de Muertos Celebración
Celebrate Día de Muertos with us on Friday, November 1, 2024, from 5-8 p.m. All ages are welcome to this free event featuring art,...
Member Appreciation Month
Members make our mission a reality. To express our gratitude, we are offering a month filled with gifts, discounts, and cheer!ENJO...
National Immigrants Day
The Museum is offering FREE admission all day, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., on Monday, October 28, 2024, in honor of National Immigrants...
Black History in McLean County
Join Jeff Woodard, the Museum's Director of Marketing and Community Relations, for a program exploring Black history in McLea...
Special Election Lunch & Learn with Dr. Andrew Hartman
Bring your lunch and join us for a special Election edition Lunch & Learn on Friday, October 18, from 12:10 to 1:00 p.m. with ...
Lincoln's 'Lost Speech' Found: Origin of the Illinois Republican Party
Go back in time to May 29, 1856, when Abraham Lincoln gave the keynote address at a political convention in downtown Bloomington. ...
30th and Final Evergreen Cemetery Walk
The 30th and Final Evergreen Cemetery Walk is sold out. For all those who got tickets, thank you for your support. Please arrive p...
30th and Final Evergreen Cemetery Walk
The 30th and Final Evergreen Cemetery Walk is sold out. We are beyond grateful for the outpouring of support we've received. ...
Lunch & Learn: What's New at the Zoo with Jay Pratte
Bring your lunch and join us to learn what's new at Miller Park Zoo on Thursday, October 10, from 12:10 to 1:00 p.m. with Dir...
30th and Final Evergreen Cemetery Walk
The 30th and Final Evergreen Cemetery Walk is sold out. For all those who got tickets, thank you for your support. Please arrive p...
30th and Final Evergreen Cemetery Walk
The 30th and Final Evergreen Cemetery Walk is sold out. For all those who got tickets, thank you for your support. Please arrive p...
Rivian: Bloomington's Battery-Powered 'Car of Tomorrow'
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
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
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
Bring your lunch and join us to learn about Arcadia: America's Playable Arcade Museum, located along historic Route 66, on Th...
Evergreen Cemetery Walk Tickets On Sale
Ticket sales for the 30th and Final Evergreen Cemetery Walk begin on September 10, 2024.There are eight opportunities to participa...
Asbestos Exhibit Opening
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
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!
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
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
Join us on Saturday, August 10, at 2 p.m. to learn about Antoinette Concello, a local circus legend often referred to as "the...
McLean County Ag History Bus Tour
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
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...
Knit In at Illinois Art Station
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
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
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
Learn about museums from the professionals at the McLean County Museum of History! On day one, participants will get a behind the ...
Futures in History: Adventures in Archaeology
Come get your hands dirty and dig up some fun! During this Mini-Camp, participants will spend their first day learning about archa...
A History of the Evergreen Cemetery Walk with Candace Summers
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
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
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
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
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
Futures in History Camp 2024 is coming! This 5-day camp experience includes facilitation by Museum staff and other experts, all ma...
Narrative Threads: Community Quilting with Illinois Art Station and Community Partners
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
The Museum, Illinois Voices Theatre Echoes, and Evergreen Memorial Cemetery are pleased to announce the dates for auditions for th...
Evergreen Cemetery Walk Auditions
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
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
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
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...
2024 Red Carpet Corridor Festival
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
Join us in hearing from ISU seniors in Dr. Maura Toro-Morn's sociology capstone class who have conducted oral history intervi...
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
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
Futures in History Camp 2024 is coming! This 5-day camp experience includes facilitation by Museum staff and other experts, all ma...
Josh Henderson's "One More Night" presented by pt.fwd
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
The Museum is pleased to host Dr. Ann Flesor Beck for a program exploring the history of the first generation of Greeks coming to ...
NPL Young Author's Poster Display
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
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
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
Bring your lunch and join us to learn about sensory gardens with U of I Extension educator Brittnay Haag on Thursday, April 11, 20...
Wet or Dry? Prohibition in McLean County at Cheney's Grove Township Library
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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...
Crafting History: Fun with Fragrance
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...
Knit In at Normal Public Library
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
The Bloomington- Normal Black History Project Presents:A Reunion: Neighbors, Friends and MusiciansPanel II Saturday February 17 ...
Museum Closed for Staff Development Day
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
The Bloomington- Normal Black History Project Presents:A Reunion: Neighbors, Friends and MusiciansPanel I Saturday, February 10 ...
Lunch & Learn: Game Development with Ben Rosset and Jamie Mathy
Learn about the ongoing board game renaissance with local game designer Ben Rosset and owner of Red Racoon Games, Jamie Mathy, on ...
History Reads Book Club: "Mary Jane's Ghost: The Legacy of a Murder in Small Town America" by Ted Gregory
We're kicking off the 2024 History Reads Book Club season with a special, joint meeting with the True Crime Book Club to disc...
Tour de Chocolat
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
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
Did you know trolley cars plied the streets of the Twin Cities from the years after the Civil War into the Great Depression? Prior...
Crafting History: Embroidering Festive Felt Ornaments
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
Bring your lunch and head over to the Museum (or to youtube.com/@mchistorymuseum) to learn from Illinois Wesleyan professor of Mus...
Christmas Under the Dome: Saturday Celebration
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
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
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
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
The Museum is pleased to welcome author Terri Ryburn, who will do a reading and signing of her book No Crybabies Allowed: The Past...
Claire Rousay in Concert featuring Emily How Presented by pt.fwd
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
Bring your lunch and head over to the Museum (or to youtube.com/@mchistorymuseum) to learn from Hossein Nateghpour, owner of Pars ...
History Reads Book Club: When Women Played Hardball
All are welcome to join the Museum and Bloomington Public Library on Wednesday, November 8, at 7:00 p.m. for the final installment...
Virtual Evergreen Cemetery Walk
The Museum, in partnership with Evergreen Memorial Cemetery, Broadleaf Media, and Illinois Voices Theatre Echoes, is thrilled to o...
Merwin Gallery Reopening Reception
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
The Kickapoo, a fiercely independent people, inhabited this stretch of Central Illinois when the first Euro-American settlers arri...
Día de Muertos Celebration
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
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
A seemingly ordinary vacant brick building with shuttered windows sits on South 12th Street in Springfield. This building once ser...
Downtown Trick or Treat
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
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
The Museum is pleased to welcome back Edward Achorn, author and Pulitzer Prize finalist for Commentary, for a hybrid program on hi...
Route 66 Miles of Possibility Conference
The Miles of Possibility organization will kick off their eighth annual Route 66 Conference scheduled for Bloomington-Normal Octob...
Crafting History: Practicing Pinch Pots
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
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
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
Grab your lunch and head to the Museum for our next Lunch & Learn with local author and historian Guy Fraker. Fraker will pres...
The State of Hate
This program will feature the Anti-Defamation League Midwest Associate Regional Director Trent Spoolstra, who will discuss the lat...
Evergreen Cemetery Walk
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...
Evergreen Cemetery Walk
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...
Evergreen Cemetery Walk
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...
Museum at the Market
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
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...
Museum at the Market
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
Join us to explore baseball's growth post-Civil War and Central Illinois' unique contributions to the early game at 1:30...
Lunch & Learn: Introducing the 2023 Evergreen Cemetery Walk
Join the McLean County Museum of History for the first Lunch & Learn of the 2023-2024 season with the Museum's Senior Dir...
The Politics of Labels: Latino, Latinx, Hispanic, and What Else; The view from the Heartland
The Museum is excited to host another installment of "The Politics of Labels: Latino, Latinx, Hispanic, and What Else" p...
Evergreen Cemetery Walk Tickets On Sale
Ticket sales for the 2023 Evergreen Cemetery Walk are now on sale. Tickets can be purchased in-person at the Museum or Evergreen M...
Museum closed for Labor Day holiday
The Museum will reopen on Tuesday, September 5 at 9:00 a.m....
Museum at the Market
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!
Using cabbage grown in the Museum's "Seeds of History" Victory Garden at the Westside Community Gardens, educators ...
Crafting History: Wonders of Weaving
Join us again for Crafting History on August 23 at 6 PM! We'll have our expert historic crafter and Curator of Collections, J...
Museum at the Illinois State Fair
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
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
The Museum will reopen on Friday, August 18 at 9:00 a.m....
Bloomington Stars Took Flight at the YMCA marker unveiling
The Bloomington Stars Take Flight, in collaboration with the McLean County Museum of History, Milner Library at Illinois State Uni...
Museum at the Market
Join us at the Downtown Bloomington Farmers’ Market. Stop by the Museum’s plaza on Washington Street to purchase all your local hi...
Marker Dedication: Booker T. Washington Home
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
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...
PRIDE Fest
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Our next Crafting History will be on June 28th at 6pm. Crafting History: Dyeing with Dinner Scraps will bring the process of solar...
Kickapoo Marker Dedication
The McLean County Museum of History, in partnership with the Kickapoo Tribe in Kansas, Illinois State Historical Society, and McLe...
2023 History Makers Gala
Join us in celebrating the legacies of our 2023 History Makers (Dotti Bushnell, Mary & Hank Campbell, Willie and Charles Halbe...
Museum at the Market
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
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
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
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
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
Join the Museum and our community partners, Bloomington Public Library and Normal Public Library, at the Franklin Park Bookmobile ...
Guided Social Justice Walking Tour
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
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
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
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
Join the McLean County Museum of History and Illinois Wesleyan University for the final Lunch & Learn of the 2022-2023 season ...
2023 Evergreen Cemetery Walk Auditions
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
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
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
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
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
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...
Futures in History Day Camp Registration Opens
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
In recognition of National Library Week, the Museum, in partnership with Normal Public Library and Illinois Humanities, are please...
Visit the Buseum on Museum Square!
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
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
The Museum will reopen on Friday, April 21 at 9:00 a.m....
Crafting History: Remembering Rag Rugs
Join the McLean County Museum of History and the McLean County Arts Center for the first installment of Crafting History: Remember...
pt.fwd presents NCHS Experimental Ensemble
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
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
Join the McLean County Museum of History and Illinois Wesleyan University for the eighth Lunch & Learn of the 2023 season with...
ACLU presents: Civil Liberties in the 19th century McLean County with Greg Koos
Greg Koos, AuthorExecutive Director EmeritusMcLean County Museum of HistoryKoos will review the story of the diverse peoples and e...
Holi Moli!
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
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
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
WHERE: McLean County Museum of HistoryWHEN: 3-5 pmWHO: At least 150 of you who would like to help us recreate our logo andcelebrat...
Light up the Museum Square for Autism Awareness
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
The McLean County Museum of History will reveal the names of six recipients of the 2023 History Makers award at a press conference...
My Museum with Bloomington Public Library
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
The Museum and Bloomington Public Library are pleased to host Catherine Lambrecht, program director for the Highland Park Historic...