The Illinois State Museum is preparing to celebrate the Illinois Bicentennial by displaying the best of its Illinois Legacy Collection of 13.5 million objects in a special exhibition slated to open Summer of 2018. The public is invited to the ISM Research & Collections Center from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm for a behind-the-scenes, sneak peek at some of these objects. Visitors will be able to walk through the Museum’s collection areas and speak with Museum staff and curators. Illinois State Museum Society Members are invited to a more intimate open house for members only from 2:00-3:00 pm.

The public is also welcome to visit the Museum’s main facility in the Capitol Complex from Noon to 4:30 pm to see a special preview of the Bicentennial exhibition on the second floor. In celebration of the kick off of the Bicentennial year, Museum admission is free on December 3.