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Welcome!

We are a nationally accredited, award-winning museum with seven exhibit galleries, more than 18,000 objects, over 15,000 rare and hard-to-find books on local history, and 2,000 feet of historical papers and images. We are a non-profit organization.


Hours
  • Monday: 9am to 5pm
  • Tuesday: 9am to 8pm
  • Wednesday: 9am to 5pm
  • Thursday: 9am to 5pm
  • Friday: 9am to 5pm
  • Saturday: 9am to 5pm
  • Sunday: Closed
Upcoming Closures
  • November 28 — Thanksgiving
  • December 11 — Museum Professional Development Day
  • December 24 — Christmas Eve
  • December 25 — Christmas Day
  • December 31 — New Years Eve
  • January 1 — New Years Day

Admission

We are open and free on MLK Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Juneteenth, Indigenous Peoples' Day, and Veterans Day.
  • Adults $10
  • Seniors (65+) & Veterans $8
  • Museum members FREE
  • Students & Children FREE
  • Every Tuesday, for all visitors FREE
  • SNAP Recipients (with EBT card) FREE
  • Learn more at Museums for All
  • Indigenous Tribal Members (with ID) FREE
  • Active Duty Military (with ID) FREE
  • Big Brothers/Big Sisters and their Little Brothers/Sisters FREE
  • Many community groups & corporate members FREE
  • See full list of people eligible for FREE admission!

Location

Museum entrance is on Washington Street Museum entrance is on Washington Street

The McLean County Museum of History's address is 200 North Main Street, Bloomington, Illinois, however our entrance is on Washington Street, on the south side of the building.

Parking and Transit

Weekday Parking

Street parking: Street parking around the Museum is free but limited to 2 hours, and this is strictly enforced by the city. You may move your car to a different block to reset the 2 hour limit.

Lincoln Parking Deck: One block south of the Museum on Front Street and Main. Parking is $1 per hour during the day M-F.

Center and Market Garage: This garage is three blocks north of the Museum on the corner of Center and Market. Parking on the first floor is free for the first four hours.

Washington and East St. Lot: There is free 2-hour parking three blocks southeast of the Museum in a lot at the corner of Washington St. and East St.

Weekend Parking

Evening and weekend parking: All public parking in Downtown Bloomington is free and unlimited after 6 pm on weekdays, and all day Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

Many Bloomington-Normal city buses stop at the Downtown station one block south of the Museum square.

For more information and a system map, please visit the Connect Transit website.

All groups should call the Museum to make reservations.

Groups arriving by bus should unload and load in the bus loading zone located outside the Museum entrance on Washington Street. Buses can park in the Douglas Lot, located north-east of the Museum for the duration of the group’s visit. Click here for parking instructions for buses.

Parking and transit map

Safety

Note: Museum staff reserve the right to update these plans based on a shift in health guidelines and/or based on experience.

If you are exhibiting any symptoms or have a temperature over 100.4 degrees, please do not visit the Museum.

Masks are recommended but not required. Masks and additional protocols may be required for select partner programs.

Physical distancing of at least six feet is encouraged inside the building when possible.

During your visit, feel free to use the hand sanitizing stations. Restrooms are on the ground floor in the Visitors Center if you need to wash your hands.

Accessibility

For more information on accessibility accommodations, including sensory friendly evening access, please call us at 309-827-0428.

The Museum is wheelchair accessible and has a brand new, functioning elevator. We also have wheel chairs available to borrow.

There are places to sit down in most of the exhibit galleries and a bench in the first and third floor rotunda.

Exhibits are typically around 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celsius).

Autism Inclusivity symbol

We have five Sensory Bags (provided by Autism McLean) that are available for check out at the reception desk. Each bag includes: sound dampening headphones, sunglasses, fidget toys, and visual communication cards. These bags are available to all visitors.

To prepare for your visit, view the Museum's social narrative.

Amenities and More

  • Free public wifi throughout the Museum.

  • Diaper changing facilities in both the men's and women's restrooms.

  • The Museum staff is trained in first aid and there is an AED on site. 

  • There is no cafeteria in the Museum but pop, snacks, and candy are available for sale in our visitors center (ground floor) and there are water fountains throughout the building.

  • There is a coat rack on the second floor, outside the courtroom. It is unsecured and accessible to the public at all times. We are not responsible for lost or stolen items.

  • Personal photography for private, non-commercial use is permitted in all locations unless otherwise posted. To take pictures inside the museum, regular admission must be paid on days the Museum charges admission. 

  • Professional photographers MUST pay a fee.

  • Please call us at 309-827-0428 for more information.

Pets are not allowed in the Museum. Service animals are allowed as defined by ADA law.

Visitors are welcome to nurse or bottle feed their baby anywhere they are comfortable.

If you would like a more private space, please reach out to a staff member and we will do our best to accommodate you. We currently do not have a room dedicated to nursing, but hope to in the future.

Have a question we haven't covered here?

Visit Downtown Bloomington

Looking for Lincoln

There are 13 Looking for Lincoln exhibit panels around Bloomington-Normal. Look for the graphic shown to the left! These panels are installed at historic Lincoln sites. There are over 200 of these informative exhibit panels throughout Central Illinois.

Abraham Lincoln Sites Narrated Tour

You can explore Lincoln sites throughout downtown and other sites in Bloomington-Normal using our narrated tour. It is available at our new mobile app, and also as a CD in our gift shop.

QR Code Architectural Tour

On this self-guided smart phone tour, you can learn about the architecture of many downtown Bloomington buildings. Look for posters in the front windows of buildings, and scan the QR code on the. A map of building and instructions for using QR codes can be found here (PDF).

Food, Shops, and Culture Downtown

Downtown Bloomington has an abundance of restaurants, shops, art galleries, and entertainment venues, all within walking distance from the Museum. For lists of things to do, please visit the Downtown Bloomington Website.

Things to Do Around Bloomington-Normal

For information about events, accommodations, and things to do in the greater Bloomington-Normal area, please visit the Bloomington-Normal Area Convention and Visitors Bureau website.

Cruisin' with Lincoln on Route 66 Visitor's Center

Cruisin' with Lincoln on Route 66 Visitor's Center contains a gift shop and local tourism information. We feature locally produced products, Abraham Lincoln souvenirs, and Route 66 souvenirs. When you visit the Museum, you will enter and exit through the Visitors Center!

Learn more

We are twin cities community friendly museum!

We are proud to be part of the Prairie Pride Coalition business and resource directory. By being a part of this directory, the Museum and Visitors Center have pledged to provide an inclusive, welcoming environment and to serve our community fairly and equitably.

We are a twin cities community friendly business