In the Special Exhibits Gallery ...From Humble Beginnings: Lincoln's Illinois 1830-1861
To commemorate the bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln's birth the Illinois State Museum presents a captivating perspective of the Illinois Lincoln called home through objects and stories of the people who lived here. Featured in this exhibition are historical maps, household furnishings, agricultural tools, firearms, archaeological artifacts, and audio presentations of pioneers' letters. Together, these demonstrate the dynamic changes that helped transform Illinois from a frontier region to a powerful state. |
In the Museum Lobby ...Illinois River Bison Discovery
The partial skeleton of a bison found along the banks of the Illinois River is featured in a display about recent excavations at a bison kill site located south of Peoria, Illinois. This discovery represents the earliest evidence of bison hunting in Illinois. Radiocarbon dates of the bones place the kill at about 400 years B.C. Heretofore, bison populations were not thought to have arrived in the Illinois country before 1500 A.D. |
