More Than A Game – A Community History of Baseball & Softball
Help us reach $135,000
We are in the final push toward opening our next temporary exhibit gallery slated to open in the spring of 2026. This exciting, multi-sensory exhibit will explore America’s Favorite Pastime through a local lens.
The essence of the exhibit can be summed up as writer Terrence Mann (James Earl Jones) says in the beloved 1989 film Field of Dreams: “The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers…but baseball has marked the time. This field, this game – it’s a part of our past, Ray. It reminds us of all that once was good, and it could be again.”
For over 150 years, McLean County’s ballfields, dugouts, and stands have reflected the evolving story of our community — its shifts in leisure, technology, race, and gender. From the first games played before the Civil War to today’s thriving women’s softball leagues, these sports mirror the changing fabric of American life.
Fabrication and interactive costs have exceeded initial estimates. Your tax-deductible gift will help bring this exhibit to life — creating a space where visitors of all ages can immerse themselves in the history of the game, walk on turf, call a play, and share stories and memories together.
