As the parent of young children, I promise you this is the busiest time of your life. That's where the Illinois State Museum comes in! When you want the kids to unplug and tune in to the natural world—when you want to replace "I'm booorrrrred" with "Wow! That's cool"—you can make a quick trip to the corner of Spring and Edwards in Springfield for a few hours of free fun.
Open seven days a week, with free admission, the Illinois State Museum has been there for young families for more than fifty years. It's a tool in your parenting toolbox for rainy days, cranky days, "get everybody out of the house" days or just to make a day more special.
With the recent opening of the Mary Ann MacLean Play Museum, younger kids, starting at age 3, can learn what it's like to be a modern-day explorer, with hands-on activities like loading the jeep, crawling through a cave, excavating a Mastodon skeleton and identifying rocks and bugs.
There's never been a better time to support the Illinois State Museum through a Family Membership. You'll receive the inside scoop on programs and exhibits! For an annual gift of only $50 (about the price of a medium-sized Lego set), you'll receive monthly newsletters and alerts so you can plan ahead for overnight adventures or Super Saturdays, participate in Members Only receptions and tours, and enjoy discounts in the Museum Stores and for children's classes and overnight camp-ins.
The next time your family visits and greets the big brown bear in the entryway, you'll have the satisfaction of knowing your kids not only enjoy their visits, but that together, you're helping the Illinois State Museum meet the needs of hundreds of other families in our area.
If you like the Museum, you will find it fascinating to go behind-the-scenes to the Research and Collections Center (on 10 ½ and Ash Streets) where the Museum’s 11 MILLION objects are housed.
Join now, and you can come to the exclusive member’s only open house on May 1st. There you will see where the Museum made the giant sloth and mastodont that are on display at the Museum. You'll tour rooms filled with animal mounts, mastodont and mammoth bones, rocks and minerals, Native American artifacts, dolls, and more!
Join with a Family Membership now, and we'll send you information on our next behind-the-scenes Research and Collection Center tour on Sunday, May 1st!
Join Now at http://www.museum.state.il.us/membership/
