Illinois State Museum

The Illinois State Museum is a system of museums and galleries fostering an appreciation of the living world and the art of Illinois. The museums open windows to education and provide protection for irreplaceable state treasures. Learn more in this section about the ISM’s collections, exhibits, research, publications, and interpretive programs. 

The Illinois State Museum System includes the headquarters museum and ISM-Research & Collections Center both in Springfield with branch sites ISM-Dickson Mounds in Lewistown, ISM-Lockport Gallery in Lockport. 

The Illinois State Museum System inspires exploration of Illinois' past and present to inform and enrich everyday life and to promote stewardship of cultural and natural resources for the future. The Museum's extensive collections and research activities provide the foundation for exhibitions and public programs that tell the story of the land, life, people, and art of Illinois.