Illinois State Museum ~ Springfield, IL

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This past summer, we spent a few weeks with family in Central Illinois and while there, took advantage of all the fantastic things they had to offer families.  And while Springfield, Illinois has amazing historical sites, they have a few hidden gems as well.  One of which is the Illinois State Museum.

The Illinois State Museum has some pretty incredible Natural History Exhibits that were engaging and easy to follow.  The museum check in desk suggested that play one of their scavenger hunt games. My kids both picked their topic (Reptiles & Amphibians for one, Mammals for the other) and off we went into the Changes in Illinois exhibit.


Did you know that Illinois once sat south of the equator?


Or that it was once covered in sea, filled with all sorts of funny-looking marine life?


This exhibit showed us 500 million years worth of change in Illinois and my kids loved it!


The scavenger hunts helped slow us down and really look at the exhibits - there were some unique facts that we would have completely missed had we buzzed right through it.

One of the favorite things we learned & saw were all the HUGE mammals that once roamed the central part of the US!

 The Illinois State Museum has plenty of interactive displays that get the kids involved in learning.

 And they recently added a "play museum" for little ones where you can dress a mannequin in period clothing, build a dinosaur, or dig for fossils.

While you may never get a chance to visit the Illinois State Museum, may I encourage you to check out the museums that are available to you in your neck-o-the-woods?  My kids enjoyed every corner of this museum.  With winter coming it, what better way to spend the day than exploring your local gems??

And better yet?  Come back and tell us about it - email rebecca@rwethereyetmom.com to get your trip tot the local museum featured!