Object Collections

The nearly 20,000 objects preserved at the McLean County Museum of History document the growth and development of McLean County from the prehistoric period through the present. They represent McLean County's ethnic and racial history, people's relationship to their physical environment, political and economic divisions, the history of institutions and organizations, civic culture, and iconography. These objects are the tools with which the museum tells the stories of the people of McLean County

The collection is comprised of objects owned, used, and made by residents of McLean County, including:

Household items, such as furnishings, tools, equipment, and appliances
Personal belongings, such as clothing, toiletries, adornment, and musical instruments
Native American tools, trade goods, and personal items of Central Illinois
Artworks that represent the landscape and people of McLean County that were made by McLean County artists, or represent popular decorative arts
Military equipment, such as weapons, uniforms, and other materials pertaining to military conflicts and the human experience of war
Business items, such as artifacts manufactured in McLean County, or tools and equipment used in the running of local businesses
Farming materials, such as tools and equipment used for growing corn and soybeans and for the management of livestock

Do you have an object that you would like to donate to the Museum?

Contact our Curator, Registrar, or Archivist to find out how to make a donation.

Our object collection is currently not available online, but we hope to have it accessible in the future. If you are interested in donating to fund our digital initiative, please consider becoming a member of the McLean County Historical Society.