Welcome to the Illinois State Museum System

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.

Visit ISM-Springfield

Visit ISM-Dickson Mounds

Visit ISM-Lockport Gallery

Visit ISM-Research & Collections Center

What's New . . .

Join Us!

Our museum shop offers a range of items that allow visitors to shop with purpose!

Visit The Shop

Kevin Veara: Exult

Springfield artist Kevin Veara paints eye-popping scenes of birds among imagined and mutant landscapes.

Opening March 16 at ISM-Dickson Mounds

Wildlife Around Us | ISM-Springfield

People have changed our landscapes and our wildlife neighbors are affected. This exhibit explores these relationships and how we might better co-exist.

More on Wildlife Around Us

The Growing Up X exhibition explores the toys, technologies and cultural touchstones surrounding Gen Xers in their childhood.

Growing Up X is now open at ISM-Lockport Gallery!

Check out the new Presidential Illinois exhibit!

Presidential Illinois

This exhibit celebrates all things “kidz” from the collection of the Illinois State Museum. Visitors will see children’s clothing, toys, and objects from the 1840s-1990s, as well as artwork featuring children.

Kidz! Toys, clothes and art!