Illinois Field Trips

Medieval Times
Exciting, family friendly dinner theater featuring an authentic medieval tournament and feast with jousting knights, and live horses.

Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail
Between May 1804 and September 1806, 32 men, one woman, and a baby traveled from the plains of the Midwest to the shores of the Pacific Ocean. They called themselves the Corps of Discovery. In their search for a water route to the Pacific Ocean, they opened a window onto the west for the young United States.

Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail
Led by Brigham Young, roughly 70,000 Mormons traveled along the Mormon Trail from 1846 to 1869 in order to escape religious persecution. The Pioneer Company of 1846-1847 established a route from Nauvoo, Illinois, to Salt Lake City, Utah, covering about 1,300 miles that would include construction of new ferries and bridges, and the placement of markers for others to follow.

Living with Wildlife in Illinois
This website was developed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and University of Illinois Extension in order to provide residents of Illinois with information about how to coexist with Illinois’ wildlife, especially in urban areas. Many species of wildlife are welcome visitors to our properties, but some animals may wear out their welcome. Urban wildlife helps us maintain our connection with nature. However, sometimes wildlife end up in places that are not safe for them or for people and pets with whom they come in contact.

Looking for Lincoln
Scattered throughout the central Illinois landscape are countless places where Lincoln traveled and lived. These places are the real thing and they make up the experience that we call "Looking for Lincoln."
Virtual field trip online

Alton Museum of History and Art - Alton
The Alton Museum of History and Art was founded in 1971 to preserve the great heritage of our community. Through the exhibits, we share with you our past and present so that you too may discover the people, places and events that influenced our ancestors and continue to shape our destiny.

Apple River Canyon State Park - Apple River
Apple River Canyon State Park is in the hilly northwest art of Illinois in Jo Daviess County near the Wisconsin border. This scenic canyon area was formed by the action of the winding waters of Apple River. Limestone bluffs, deep ravines, springs, streams and wildlife characterize this area which was once a part of a vast sea bottom that stretched from the Alleghenies to the Rockies.

Argonne Information Center - Argonne
Argonne welcomes all members of the public age 16 or older to take guided tours of our scientific and engineering facilities and grounds. For children under 16, Argonne offers a range of hands-on learning activities suitable for K-12 field trips and scout outings.

Arlington Heights Historical Museum - Arlington Heights
The site of the Frederick W. Müller home and soda pop factory, the museum complex includes the original 1882 Victorian home, the coach house, 1906 soda pop factory, the 1908 Banta house and a replica 1830's log cabin.

Anderson Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area - Astoria
In the early half of the 1900s, Anderson Lake was a private shooting grounds for one of the many once-famous duck clubs that dotted the Illinois River valley. Since the first land purchases by the state in 1947, the site has been operated as a public hunting and fishing area.

Weinberg-King State Fish & Wildlife Area - Augusta
Weinberg-King State Fish and Wildlife Area is an area of rolling hills with a meandering creek in western Illinois. The 772-acre State Fish & Wildlife Area, including a 4-acre pond, is in Schuyler County 3 miles east of Augusta north of Route 101.

Aurora Regional Fire Museum - Aurora
The Aurora Regional Fire Museum is a nonprofit, tax exempt educational institution whose purpose is to preserve Aurora's old Central Fire Station for use as a museum. The Aurora Regional Fire Museum will preserve and exhibit the artifacts and history of Aurora and surrounding area fire departments, as well as teach and promote fire safety and prevention.

SciTech Hands-On Museum - Aurora
Come to SciTech, where science is an adventure! Play with our engaging exhibits while you explore our spacious and colorful museum. At SciTech we give our visitors an opportunity to explore science in a comfortable, family-friendly environment. Over 200 engaging, hands-on exhibits and daily science shows will intrigue and excite you and your family.

Barrington Area Historical Society - Barrington
he Society's mission is to collect, preserve, document, and exhibit the history of this area and to provide specialized education programs from pre-school through adult. - The Barrington Area Historical Society was founded in 1968 by local residents dedicated to preserving the history and culture of the Barrington area.

James "Pate" Philip State Park - Bartlett
This land contains the remnants of one of the most diverse natural systems that ever graced the Illinois landscape, the tall grass prairie and its associated communities. Hidden among the overused landscape are pieces of a puzzle that represent what once was a rich tapestry of life. A remnant wetland also managed to survive in the center of this park. This wetland is home to an Illinois endangered species, the dwarf bur reed.

Batavia Depot Museum - Batavia
We must preserve the rich history of Batavia, Illinois, and the Batavia Township for the enrichment and benefit of generations to come.

Iroquois County State Wildlife Area - Beaverville
Iroquois State Wildlife Area is situated in a low glacial outwash plain associated with the Kankakee River Valley that consists of marshland, sand ridges, and dunes. The initial acquisition of land occurred in 1944 for the purpose of protecting the declining prairie chicken population in the State. The prairie chickens did not survive and public hunting became the major use. The State purchased an additional 560 acres in 1984. Known as the Hooper Branch Savanna, 480 acres of this parcel is considered the largest single tract of rare native savanna remaining in Illinois.

Cache River State Natural Area - Belknap
Cache River State Natural Area is situated in southernmost Illinois within a floodplain carved long ago by glacial floodwater of the Ohio River. When the Ohio River adopted its present course, it left the Cache River to meander across rich and vast wetlands. Among the outstanding natural features found within the area today are massive cypress trees whose flared bases, called buttresses, exceed 40 feet circumference. Many are more than 1,000 years old, including one that has earned the title of state champion bald cypress because of its huge trunk girth, towering height, and heavily branched canopy.

Mermet Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area - Belknap
Mermet Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area is an old cypress swamp which has been made into a waterfowl hunting area. Primarily the area was developed for duck hunting but several thousand Canada, blue, and snow geese frequent the area each winter. The shallow lake also is very productive for largemouth bass, channel catfish, and most panfish. The lake is closed in October prior to waterfowl hunting season and is re-opened in December directly after waterfowl season.

Sielbeck Forest State Natural Area - Belknap
Visitors to Sielbeck Forest are passing through bottomland hardwood forest and a forested swamp that mirrors the wilderness documented by public land surveyors back in 1807. This island of somber grey timber was once part of the Big Black Slough, a wetland-rich floodplain that in days gone by covered thousands of acres in Massac, Pope and Johnson counties in southern Illinois.

Logan County Museum - Bellefontaine,
The Society dates from the 1930 era and was reorganized in 1945 following World War II. Over the years hundreds of volunteers have donated thousands of hours of time to help preserve a look at the past. Historical artifacts, documents, genealogy information, and rooms full of historical furniture make this an exciting visit for the entire family.

Labor & Industry Museum - Belleville
The Labor & Industry Museum is the only public institution devoted to the history of the labor and industry of Belleville and southwestern Illinois. Belleville was one of the most significant centers for the growth of Illinois industry, which ranked third in the nation in the late 19th century. The Museum's mission is to chronicle and interpret the area's rich cultural heritage of labor and industry.

Shelbyville State Fish and Wildlife Area - Bethany
Located along the Kaskaskia and West Okaw Rivers near Sullivan, the Lake Shelbyville Fish and Wildlife Management Area offers some of the best hunting, river fishing and nature study opportunities in the state. The two areas contain over 6000 acres of mixed habitats including forests, prairies, restored grasslands, old fields, brush, wetlands, rivers, streams, and cropland. All are situated in the upper reaches of the 34,000-acre Lake Shelbyville project area.

Bishop Hill State Historic Site - Bishop Hill
We invite you to taste the history of this once-bustling 19th century settlement. Sample our fascinating museums, quaint eateries, unique gift shops, and art galleries. Peek into the past at our seasonal festivals and holiday celebrations. Spend hours or days here with family & friends. Renew your spirit in this peaceful prairie retreat.

McLean County Arts Center - Bloomington
One of the oldest, community-based, non-profit, art organizations in the midwest. Our mission is to support and encourage the visual arts in McLean County. MCAC features 12 exhibitions yearly, which include the works of local, regional and nationally known artists. MCAC offers classes for children and adults that include painting, drawing, photography, ceramics, jewelry, art history, appreciation and printmaking. MCAC performs a vital function in our community by encouraging and promoting the work of local artists.

McLean County Museum of History - Bloomington
The McLean County Museum of History traces it roots back to 1892, the year the McLean County Historical Society was founded. The original Museum opened in 1904 when Historical Society members had collected enough material, in the form of presented papers, transcribed reminiscences, and donated objects, to share the collection with the public.

Millers Park Zoo - Bloomington
The Zoo has several big surprises for the community, including the addition of several new animals and fabulous exhibits. As visitors have come to expect, there will continue to be educational programs, special events and Zookeeper interaction opportunities that can be enjoyed by the whole family. Some additional Zoo highlights include: sun bears, reindeer, Sumatran tiger, sea lions, lemurs, Galapagos tortoise, bald eagles, pallas cats, Amur leopard, gibbons and red wolves. The Zoo features many large indoor and outdoor exhibits such as a Tropical America Rainforest, ZooLab, Katthoefer Animal Building, Wallaby WalkAbout, Children's Zoo and Animals of Asia.

Prairie Aviation Museum - Bloomington
Inspiring generations to accomplish things that may at first appear impossible. PAM’s objectives are met with the following Statement of Purpose: To create an environment in which to learn about the contributions of aviation to our community and nation, by those who persevered. To broaden the scope and structure of the Prairie Aviation Museum spanning over 100 years of flight. To collect, preserve, and display aircraft and related items, keeping alive the story of flight. To have our visitors feel educated, entertained, and inspired.

Rend Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area - Bonnie
Outdoor sportsmen will find a haven of recreational activities at Rend Lake. With 18,900 acres of water and over 20,000 acres of land in Jefferson and Franklin counties, Rend Lake provides ample opportunities for hunting and fishing. Rend Lake is located between Mt. Vernon and Benton, just off interstate 57.

Kankakee River State Park - Bourbonnais
On land treasured for centuries - first by Native Americans, later by traders and farmers, and as early as the 1890's by recreation seekers - Kankakee River State Park offers you its proud heritage in an unspoiled setting. Anglers, canoeists, hunters, campers, hikers, bicyclers and other outdoor enthusiasts find the park's recreational opportunities unsurpassed. The naturally channeled Kankakee River, listed on the Federal Clean Streams Register, is the focus of the park's popularity.

Bourbonnais Grove Historical Society - Bourbonnais
Bourbonnais is a vibrant, friendly community known as "The Village of Friendship" to more than 16,000 residents of many cultures and faiths. You will discover the Village of Bourbonnais is a great place to work, play and raise a family.

Exploration Station - Bourbonnais
Exploration Station ...a children's museum is a hands-on exploration and discovery museum for children and their families, teachers and care givers. At Exploration Station, children can climb inside the tower of a medieval castle, fly a jet plane, sail on a ship, become a soda shop clerk, drive a tractor and much more.

Mazonia-Braidwood State Fish & Wildlife Area - Braceville
Mazonia is managed primarily for sport fish and waterfowl. Its purpose is to provide a quality sport fishery within the surface-mined lakes through habitat enhancement and supplemental stockings which, in turn, will provide the public quality bank and boat sport fishing opportunities. The site also will provide quality mid-migration and resident waterfowl habitat, including food, water and sanctuary components which, in turn, will provide the public a quality waterfowl hunting opportunity.

Jubilee College State Park - Brimfield
Jubilee College State Park is a 3,200-acre facility, located in Peoria County between the towns of Kickapoo and Brimfield, just off U.S. Route 150. This scenic area, with its rolling topography and meandering Jubilee Creek, offers various outdoor recreational opportunities.

Brookfield Zoo - Brookfield
Brookfield Zoo has had an international reputation for taking a cutting-edge role in animal care and conservation of the natural world. Among its historical firsts are indoor multi-species exhibits, zoo nutrition residencies, methods for animal husbandry, and medical care that includes successful brain surgery for a gorilla.

Cairo Custom House - Cairo
Constructed in 1872 this historic building once housed a post office, a courtroom, and other government agencies. Today the building contains a museum exhibiting local memorabilia.

Banner Marsh State Fish & Wildlife Area - Canton
Banner Marsh State Fish & Wildlife Area is located approximately 25 miles southwest of Peoria on U.S. Route 24 and is protected from the Illinois River by a major levee. Teeming with fish and wildlife, Banner Marsh provides various outdoor activities, including hunting, fishing, boating, dog training, picnicking, wildlife observation and photography.

Rice Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area - Canton
Providing a stop over area for migrating waterfowl, Rice Lake and the surrounding areas provide an excellent opportunity for wildlife observation. Because of an extensive habitat management program, this backwater wetland area is used by thousands of ducks and geese as they move through central Illinois during the changing seasons. Visitors also may encounter one of several threatened or endangered plant and animal species such as the American bald eagle, which uses the bottomland timber for roosting. Fishing is a favorite pastime at the area with catches of largemouth bass, bluegill, sunfish, crappie, channel catfish, bullhead buffalo and carp. However, with seasonal fluctuations of the water levels, fishing may be limited during certain times of the year. Duck hunting and archery deer hunting also provide opportunities for the outdoor sportsman.

Southern Illinois University Museum - Carbondale
The University Museum serves Southern Illinois University Carbondale, the greater Southern Illinois community and beyond as a steward of the past and a gateway to the future. We collect, preserve, research, display and educate using a diverse and engaging range of artifacts and objects and educational methods. The Museum illuminates the local and world connections behind the arts, humanities, and sciences. As a teaching museum, we offer hands-on opportunities in progressive museum practices and provide leadership to museums across the region.

Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area - Carlyle
It seems appropriate for one of the largest campground in the Illinois state park system to be located on the largest manmade lake in Illinois. Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area is a 3,000-acre site on the west shore of Carlyle Lake, a Kaskaskia River impoundment. The site is located 3 miles north of Carlyle and 2 miles east of Illinois Route 127 in Clinton County.

South Shore State Park - Carlyle
Managed to preserve its natural and cultural resources, the park also provides recreational opportunities, including small-boat access, five day-use areas for picnicking, a 3/4-mile hiking trail, as well as outstanding bank-fishing opportunities. Observing wildlife, especially white-tailed deer and wild turkey, is another popular activity.

John A. Logan College Museum - Carterville
The John A. Logan College Museum is an educational service organization that promotes understanding and appreciation of southern Illinois ’ visual arts, cultural heritage, and natural history and examines the region’s relationship to contemporary issues and the world community.

Cave-In-Rock State Park - Cave-In-Rock
At Cave-In-Rock in southern Illinois, you can experience this fascination for yourself. Sitting atop the high bluffs overlooking the scenic Ohio River, the heavily wooded park is named for the 55-foot-wide cave that was carved out of the limestone rock by water thousands of years ago. Trails winding along the riverbank offer views of riverboats, barges and other river scenes.

Champaign Country Historical Museum - Champaign
The mission of the Champaign County Historical Museum is to discover, collect, preserve, exhibit, study, and interpret objects relating to the history of the County, and to provide educational programs about the County's heritage and the Museum's collections. Our Quilt Collection: Many beautiful quilts have been generously donated to the Champaign Country Historical Museum over the years, and our collection currently consists of nearly 50 quilts. Many date from the mid to late nineteenth century, and include beautiful examples of many popular quilting patterns and techniques that combine to form a truly diverse and exceptional collection.

Krannert Art Museum - Champaign
Krannert Art Museum and Kinkead Pavilion is a catalyst in the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the extended community to support interdisciplinary collaboration and the synthesis of knowledge for the benefit of current and future generations. The museum is a cultural destination and a virtual presence that strives to enrich the human experience by inviting visitors to make connections through the visual arts between the past and present, between what is understood and what is unknown.

Orpheum Children's Science Museum - Champaign
we provide children the opportunity to explore and understand their world through engaging exhibits and innovative programming, creating an atmosphere where imagination, learning and fun combine to encourage a life-long interest in science. We are in our 19th year of enriching our community through camps, after school, classes, special events, exhibits and field trips. The Orpheum has great birthday parties, facility rentals, and volunteer opportunities.

Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish & Wildlife Area - Chandlerville
A mosaic of mature forest land, agricultural land and grassland, Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish & Wildlife Area is dissected by Panther and Cox creeks and their tributaries. In addition to 6,000 acres of timberland and 4,200 acres of prime farmland, Site M contains a rare hill prairie. It also is home to a rich assortment of wildlife, from endangered species that include Indiana bat, northern harrier and red-shouldered hawk, to such game species white-tailed deer, wild turkey, ring-necked pheasant and mourning dove.

Sanganois State Fish & Wildlife Area - Chandlerville
Sanganois Fish and Wildlife Area is at the junction of the Sangamon and Illinois rivers. The area lies in southwestern Mason County, northwestern Cass County, and one small portion in Schuyler County. Sanganois is one of the few state owned refuges and public hunting areas along the Illinois River.

Channahon State Park - Channahon
Channahon State Park is the official trailhead for the Illinois & Michigan Canal State Trail. Channahon is an Indian word meaning "the meeting of the waters" and signifies the joining of the DuPage, Des Plaines and Kankakee Rivers.

Fox Ridge State Park - Charleston
At any time of year, Fox Ridge State Park is a great place to visit. In winter, the snow-softened ridges are alive with birds and animals. In the spring, a panoramic blanket of multi-hued wildflowers and blooming, budding trees celebrate the resurgence of growth. By summer the dense vegetation and new generation of wildlife are thriving in the sun, and autumn brings its brilliant display of color as nature enhances the woodlands with yellow, red, purple and orange.

Fults Hill Prairie and Kidd Lake Marsh State Natural Areas - Chester
The 997-acre Fults Hill Prairie State Natural Area is owned and managed by the Illinoois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). Most of this unique natural area was purchased between 1970 and 1976. From the uplands of Fults Hill Prairie Nature Preserve to the lowlands of Kidd Lake Marsh, a variety of plants and animals can be found, some common and some found nowhere else in the state

Piney Creek Ravine State Natural Area - Chester
West of Du Quoin and south of Steeleville on the Randolph-Jackson County line is a unique 198-acre area known as Piney Creek Ravine State Natural Area. Purchased in 1972 for its rare plant species and other natural features, it is one of only two locations in the state where short-leaf pines grow naturally. Piney Creek Ravine is dedicated state Nature Preserve within the Illinois State Nature Preserve system.

Randolph County State Recreation Area - Chester
Randolph County State Recreation Area is a mecca for outdoor recreational activities. Fishing, hiking, picnicking, boating, hunting and camping are just a few of the choices, keeping even the most outdoorsman content on 1,101 acres. Located five miles north east of Chester in Randolph County, it lies in the rolling hill country of southern Illinois. Offering a cool retreat from hot summer days, well shaded picnic areas, hiking trails and scenic forest stands await park visitors. There’s a diverse offering at beautiful Randolph County State Recreation Area.

Raging Waves Waterpark - Chicago
Chicagoland's Family Waterpark South of I-88 on IL Hwy 47 Yorkville IL 60560 Opening Summer 2008

William W. Powers State Recreation Area - Chicago
A 160-acre tract was acquired by the state in 1947 and became known as the Wolf Lake State Recreation Area. Other acquisitions have now increased the area to 580 acres, of which 419 acres are water.

Shedd Educational Adventures (SEA) - Chicago
Contains a treasure trove of aquatic science resources for K-12 teachers and students. SEA brings the Philippines to life for your students with fact sheets and multimedia interactives based on the Wild Reef exhibit at Shedd Aquarium.
Virtual field trip online

Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum - Chicago
Take a spin around the Universe and dive into the latest space science discoveries. The Adler Planetarium seeks to inspire the next generation of explorers and scientists. The Adler’s array of educational offerings — from interactive demonstrations to graduate level coursework—are designed to equip participants with the skills and desire to learn more about our Universe.
Virtual field trip online

Art Institute of Chicago - Chicago
The purposes for which the Art Institute of Chicago is formed are: to found, build, maintain, and operate museums, schools, libraries of art, and theaters; to provide support facilities in connection therewith; to conduct appropriate activities conducive to the artistic development of the region; and to conduct and participate in appropriate activities of national and international significance;
Virtual field trip online

Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture - Chicago
The Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture is a major player in the Lithuanian cultural life and scholarship in the United States.

Chicago Athenaeum - Chicago
An International Museum of Architecture and Design, appropriately based in the world's first city of modern architecture and design - Chicago. Founded in 1988, the Museum is dedicated to the Art of Design in all areas of the discipline: architecture, industrial, and product design, graphics, and urban planning. The Museum's mission is the advancement of public education about the value of Good Design - from the "spoon to the city" - and how design can positively impact the human environment.

Chicago Children's Museum - Chicago
Chicago Children's Museum's mission is to create a community where play and learning connect. The museum's primary audience is children up through the fifth grade including their families, along with the school and community groups that support and influence children's growth and development. The museum also offers a variety of volunteer opportunities and college internships. Fifteen permanent exhibits and programming spaces provide innovative learning experiences for children and their caregivers. The museum serves more than 500,000 visitors annually. CCM also reaches out beyond its walls by making a significant investment of resources in neighborhoods across Chicago, particularly to children who might not otherwise have access to the museum's rich array of resources.

Chicago History Museum - Chicago
Stands at the crossroads of America’s past and its future. If you live in Chicago or visit here and are curious about the city’s past, present, and future, the Museum should be your first stop.

DePaul University Art Museum - Chicago
The DePaul University Art Museum extends the institution’s commitments to excellence, diversity and social concerns through innovative exhibitions, programs, and events that analyze the variety and depth of artistic expression. The Museum acquires, preserves and displays the University’s diverse and growing collection of works of art. Its exhibitions, programs and collections engage the wide expertise represented in the University’s community of knowledge, giving visible and accessible form to the intellectual and creative work of faculty and students through collaborative exploration of cultural production. For the DePaul community and for wider audiences the gallery serves as a laboratory for the exploration of innovative approaches to art and culture.

DuSable Museum of African American History. - Chicago
Developed to preserve and interpret the experiences and achievements of people of African descent, it is dedicated to the collection, documentation, preservation and study of the history and culture of Africans and African Americans. The DuSable Museum is proud of its diverse holdings that number more than 15,000 pieces and include paintings, sculpture, print works and historical memorabilia. Special exhibitions, workshops and lectures are featured to highlight works by specific artists, historic events or collections on loan from individuals or institutions.

Field Museum - Chicago
The Field Museum was founded to house the biological and anthropological collections assembled for the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893. These objects form the core of the Museum's collections which have grown through world-wide expeditions, exchange, purchase, and gifts to more than twenty million specimens. The collections form the foundation of the Museum's exhibition, research and education programs, which are further informed by a world-class natural history library of more than 250,000 volumes.

Garfield Park Conservatory - Chicago
Visit the Conservatory, one of the largest botanical conservatories in the world and participate in a number of special events and activities!

Goodman Theatre - Chicago
Established in 1925, Goodman Theatre has been a part of life in Chicago for over 80 years. Every season, the Goodman presents the work of an extraordinary group of local, national and international artists.

Hellenic Museum and Cultural Center - Chicago
Mission Statement: To be the nation’s foremost center of Hellenic history, culture and the arts, where the public can explore the legacy of the Greek immigrant experience in America and examine the influence of Hellenic culture and people from antiquity to the present

International Museum of Surgical Science - Chicago
xplore the history of surgery through the eyes of doctors, artists and historians. The Museum's collections portray the mysteries and milestones that have shaped modern surgical science. Exhibits on surgery and its related science include, Anesthesia, Radiology, Orthopedics, Urology, Cardiology, and Opthamology, as well as the surgical history of various countries give visitors a well-rounded sense of medical history.

Jane Addams Hull-House Museum - Chicago
The Jane Addams Hull-House Museum, owned and operated by the University of Illinois at Chicago, is a historic site and memorial to Jane Addams, her innovative settlement house programs and associates, and the neighborhood they served. Housed in two original Hull-House buildings, the museum is an internationally recognized symbol of multicultural understanding, reflecting the long Hull-House tradition of social service and reform, educational innovation, and urban research.

John G. Shedd Aquarium - Chicago
Welcome to Shedd Aquarium. Let the Fantasea Begin! Strap a mask and flippers onto your imagination and chart a course to Shedd Aquarium. Have you ever gotten eye-to-eye with a dolphin? Or met a penguin on a stroll to the South Pole? Or immersed yourself in an Amazon flooded forest? At Shedd, it's all possible.

Kohl Children’s Museum of Greater Chicago - Chicago
… where children ages birth to 8 are Learning to Grow! Kohl Children’s Museum of Greater Chicago is a hands-on learning laboratory for children ages birth to 8. All of our exhibits and programs are aligned to the Illinois State Learning Standards and are designed to make learning fun and interesting for young children.

Lincoln Park Zoo. - Chicago
Lincoln Park Zoo is a world of wildlife in the shadow of skyscrapers. Located within a verdant park just minutes north of Chicago, the zoo has been a natural, free oasis for generations of animal lovers, who come to hear a lion’s roar echo off nearby apartment buildings, see gorillas climb trees as the Sears Tower looms in the distance, or forget where they are as they immerse themselves in tropical rainforests, dry-thorn forests or spacious savannas. We invite you to the wildest spot in Chicago, where each year millions of visitors marvel at wild wonders as they play and learn about the natural world in a living, breathing, roaring classroom.

Loyola University Museum of Art - Chicago
The Loyola University Museum of Art (LUMA) was founded in 2005 on the Water Tower Campus of Loyola University Chicago. LUMA is located on the Magnificent Mile at the Water Tower in Lewis Towers, an historic 1927 Gothic Revival building. The museum with 35,000 sq. feet contains eight exhibition main galleries, the William G. and Marilyn M. Simpson Lecture Hall, the Solomon Cordwell Buenz Library of Sacred Art and Architecture and the Museum Store, the Push Pin Gallery and the Harlan J. Berk Ltd. Works on Paper Gallery. LUMA welcomes new members and volunteers at all levels of participation. The mission of the museum is illustrated and introduced in the first floor lobby with the Windows of Faith representing the five major world faiths of Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam.

Museum of Broadcast Communications - Chicago
Preserving History & Protecting the Environment. The only museum dedicated to broadcast history in the nation and home to America's only National Radio Hall of Fame, the 62,000-square-foot MBC will be located at State and Kinzie Streets, right next door to Harry Caray‘s Restaurant and the House of Blues Hotel.

Museum of Contemporary Art - Chicago
One of the nation's largest facilities devoted to the art of our time, the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) offers exhibitions of the most thought-provoking art created since 1945. The MCA documents contemporary visual culture through painting, sculpture, photography, video and film, and performance. Located in the heart of downtown Chicago, the MCA boasts a gift store, bookstore, restaurant, 300-seat theater, and a terraced sculpture garden with a great view of Lake Michigan.

Museum of Science and Industry - Chicago
Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry, one of the largest science museums in the world, is home to more than 35,000 artifacts and nearly 14 acres of hands-on exhibits designed to spark scientific inquiry and creativity.

National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame - Chicago
Located in Chicago's historic "Little Italy" neighborhood, the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit educational institution dedicated to preserving and promoting the history and heritage of Italian Americans in sports. Our collection aims to honor and preserve Italian Americans who have made lasting contributions to sports and society. The NIASHF has awarded over $6 million in scholarships to students from all backgrounds for their academic and athletic endeavors through our Second Wind and A Level Playing Field outreach programs.

National Vietnam Veterans Art Museum - Chicago
The National Vietnam Veterans Art Museum inspires greater understanding of the real impact of war with a focus on Vietnam. The museum collects, preserves and exhibits art inspired by combat and created by veterans.

Oriental Institute Museum - Chicago
The Oriental Institute is a research organization and museum devoted to the study of the ancient Near East. Founded in 1919 by James Henry Breasted, the Institute, a part of the University of Chicago, is an internationally recognized pioneer in the archaeology, philology, and history of early Near Eastern civilizations.

The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum - Chicago
The Chicago Academy of Sciences and its Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum inspire people to learn about and care for nature and the environment. The Academy improves quality of life in Chicago and the region by delivering superior environmental and science education programs to students and teachers, by offering Museum exhibitions and conducting public programs that foster green living, and by restoring local ecosystems and advancing scientific knowledge through collections and research.

The Renaissance Society - Chicago
The Society presents art seldom seen in the midwest, giving the public opportunities to investigate the most recent developments in contemporary art. At the same time, the museum is equally committed to fostering the development of Chicago's own rich artistic resources.

Sears Tower Skydeck - Chicago
The 99th floor Skydeck offers spectacular views spanning up to 50 miles and 4 states! Explore Chicago top to bottom......and from yesterday to today. Voted one of the 7 Wonders of Chicago by Chicago Tribune Readers. Chicago's most visited and highest observatory. You haven't seen Chicago until you've seen it from the Sears Tower Skydeck. The best view of Chicago and beyond from the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. Interactive displays highlight the character and characters of this great city. Knee High attractions for kids.

David and Alfred Smart Museum of Art - Chicago
Located on the University of Chicago's Hyde Park campus, the Smart Museum of Art houses a permanent collection of over 10,000 objects, spanning five millennia of both Western and Eastern civilizations. The scope of its permanent collections, combined with groundbreaking special exhibitions, a focus on research and teaching by University of Chicago scholars, and distinguished outreach and educational programs geared to both adults and school age children, make the Smart one of the Midwest's most dynamic and innovative educational institutions in the visual arts.

Spertus - Chicago
Spertus is a Jewish institution grounded in Jewish values that invites people of all ages and backgrounds to explore the multi-faceted Jewish experience. Through its innovative public programming, exhibitions, collections, research facilities and degree programs, Spertus inspires learning, serves diverse communities and fosters understanding for Jews and people of all faiths, locally, regionally and around the world.

Swedish American Museum Center - Chicago
The Brunk Children's Museum of Immigration is an interactive, hands-on museum for children ages 3-12. The facility is on the third floor of the Swedish American Museum Center and offers children the chance to experience the immigration phenomenon firsthand. They will engage in a myriad of historical tasks in a century-old Swedish farmhouse, or stuga, replicated in authentic detail. A 20-foot immigrant steamer will take them to America, where they will learn about life in a pioneer log cabin. A Viking ship and a refugees' raft enhance the immigration story, past and present.

Terra Foundation for American Art - Chicago
The Terra Foundation for American Art is dedicated to fostering exploration, understanding, and enjoyment of the visual arts of the United States for national and international audiences. Recognizing the importance of experiencing original works of art, the foundation provides opportunities for interaction and study, beginning with the presentation and growth of its own art collection in Chicago. To further cross-cultural dialogue on American art, the foundation supports and collaborates on innovative exhibitions, research, and educational programs.

Ukrainian Institute for Modern Art - Chicago
To leave home and start a new life in an unfamiliar place is at the core of the immigrant experience. For the artist, there is much to process—new cultures, colors, forms, sensations, and environments, all different from those left behind. New roots form atop old ones, and the past never strays far from reach. Since the beginning of the 20th century, more than five million Ukrainians have emigrated from their homes in Ukraine, Poland, and Russia to settle abroad. Then as now, artists have been among the most vibrant and vital figures of emigre society. The permanent collection of the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art traces their experience.

Ukrainian National Museum - Chicago
The Ukrainian National Museum collection consists of over 1,140 artifacts including those related to traditional folk arts, agricultural tools, artwork, musical instruments, trophies, and much more.

Woman Made Gallery - Chicago
Woman Made Gallery is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1992. Its goal is to support women in the arts by providing opportunities, awareness, and advocacy. It specifically accomplishes this through monthly thematic exhibitions which raise public awareness and recognition of women's cultural contributions.

Siloam Springs State Park - Clayton
Nature's bounty has conspired to produce a natural beauty and source of recreation greatly prized by generations of Midwesterners at Siloam Springs State Park, just minutes east of Quincy.

Weldon Springs State Park - Clinton
Lying just southeast of Clinton in DeWitt County, Weldon Springs State Park is a 550-acre park for all seasons. Weldon Springs' recreational agenda is among the most comprehensive in the state park system, offering recreational opportunities year-round. During the milder seasons, you are invited to fish, boat, picnic, camp, hike, and view wildlife. Or, you might want to pitch horseshoes at the park's tournament-quality horseshoe pits. When the snow flies, hardier outdoors persons not only continue many of the warmer weather pursuits, but add sledding and tobogganing on a one-eighth mile hill, ice fishing and cross-country skiing to the itinerary of their visit.

Dewitt County Museum - Clinton
Visit us and discover a fully restored building and grounds that depict the elegant Victorian era. Escape the pressure of the present and discover the way it used to be. On the National Register of Historic places. Discover the connection between C.H. Moore and Abe Lincoln.

Coffeen Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area - Coffeen
Coffeen Lake is an attractive site with history of providing anglers and hunters success. The site was opened in 1986 and currently operates under a long term lease and management agreement between the Illinois Dept. of Natural Resources and Ameren Energy Generating Company. This agreement grants authority to the State to open the lake and certain lands to the public for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, picnicking and hunting. Watch the Bald Eagles at Coffeen Lake at the Eagle Cam Link

Argyle Lake State Park - Colchester
Known as a fisherman's delight, Argyle Lake State Park has a full complement of recreational opportunities. Just 7 miles from Macomb, Argyle Lake also offers picnicking, camping, hiking and boating facilities in a scenic, natural setting. With its 93-acre lake for boating and fishing, 5 miles of rugged foot trails through luxuriant virgin forests, and full-service campgrounds, this heavily wooded, 1,700-acre site is the ideal place to spend a day, a weekend, or longer.

Cahokia Mounds - Collinsville
One of the greatest cities of the world, Cahokia was larger than London was in AD 1250. The Mississippians who lived here were accomplished builders who erected a wide variety of structures from practical homes for everyday living to monumental public works that have maintained their grandeur for centuries. Cahokia Mounds offers special events year-round. With such a variety of events from fine art shows to craft workshops, there's something for everyone.

Lamon House - Danville
The Lamon House is a Greek Revival Cottage built in 1850 by Joseph and Melissa Beckwith Lamon. The Lamon House is believed to be the oldest frame house in the Danville Area. Joseph is the cousin of Ward Hill Lamon, Lincoln's law partner and bodyguard. Melissa is the daughter of Dan Beckwith, who Danville is named for. The home originally stood near downtown Danville on North Street, but was moved to its present location in Lincoln Park and was completely restored in the early 1980's.

Vermilion County War Museum - Danville
The Vermilion County War Museum is located in Danville, IL original public library building. Constructed in 1903, The Illinois war museum displays memorabilia and artifacts from the Revolutionary War to Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Children's Museum of Illinois - Decatur
A hands-on,interactive museum for children ages three to twelve! Its exhibits and activities complement and enhance children's educational opportunities, particularly in the arts and sciences. The museum contributes to the community's quality of life as an educational facility, visitor attraction,family activity, and a site for volunteerism.

Hieronymus Mueller Museum - Decatur

The Macon County History Museum - Decatur
The Macon County History Museum offers tour opportunities for students of "all ages" to learn more about the history of Decatur and Macon County. As the only official "Looking For Lincoln" Coalition Site in Macon County, the Museum offers visitors the opportunity to learn more about the area's rich Lincoln Heritage while watching a short video about that heritage in the Abraham Lincoln Theater. Abraham Lincoln and his family made Macon County their first home in Illinois after arriving from Indiana 1830, with Lincoln giving his first political speech in Decatur, as well as practicing law in Macon County's first two courthouses. The story of Lincoln's life in Decatur and Macon County is chronicled in several informative exhibits, with visitors being able to tour the Lincoln Log Courthouse located in the Museum's Prairie Village Complex where Lincoln participated in numerous legal cases that was used in Macon County in the late 1830's.

Scovill Zoo - Decatur
Scovill Zoo’s education programs offer opportunities designed to help animal lovers of all ages explore and discover the animal kingdom through unique and innovative experiences. From our Zoo Academy to our Mobile Zoo, our education programs provide fun, hands-on connections to the animal world. While you are here, take a spin on Scovill Zoo’s beautiful Endangered Species Carousel! Specially designed for Scovill Zoo, the carousel is unique to Central Illinois. It features 30 colorful, hand-carved wooden animals, representing protected and endangered species from across the globe.

Ellwood House Museum - DeKalb
Ellwood House, a grand Victorian mansion, is located in a lovely park in the heart of DeKalb, Illinois. Inside, crystal chandeliers sparkle, gilt mirrors shine, and antique woodwork gleams. A visit to this elegant home brings the past to life! Built by barbed wire millionaire Isaac L. Ellwood in 1879, the mansion remains with its original furnishings just as when the Ellwood family lived there decades ago. Experience a by-gone era as you tour the great English living room with its vast stone fireplace, the mahogany-panelled dining room, and the magnificent rotunda with a three-story spiral staircase. The many restored bedrooms, servants rooms, and service areas provide a glimpse of a complete household at the turn of the twentieth century.

Donnelley/DePue State Park - DePue
The Donnelley/DePue State Fish and Wildlife Areas complex is managed primarily for migratory waterfowl. Frank C. Bellrose, world-renown waterfowl expert, has designated this Great Bend as the entry point to the lower Illinois River valley, an important North American waterfowl migration corridor. The state wildlife areas established here contain a variety of wetland habitats that have always been critical to migratory waterfowl. Consequently, much of the 3,015-acre complex is managed for waterfowl feeding, nesting, resting, harvesting and viewing.

Des Plaines Historical Society - Des Plaines
The Des Plaines Historical Society was founded in 1967 with the purpose of collecting and preserving material related to the history of the Des Plaines community and bringing together people interested in history, especially the history of Des Plaines. The Historical Society offers programs for adults and children, runs a museum, archives and gift shop and works with many local organizations in Des Plaines.

McDonald's #1 Store Museum - Des Plaines
McDonald's #1 Store Museum is a recreation of the first McDonald's Restaurant opened in Des Plaines, Illinois by McDonald's Corporation founder, Ray Kroc, on April 15, 1955.

Polish Museum of America - Des Plaines
The Polish Museum of America, founded in 1935, is one of the oldest and largest ethnic museums in the United States of America. Located in the heart of the first Polish neighborhood in Chicago, it promotes the knowledge of Polish history and culture, especially promulgates Polish and Polish American art in its paintings, sculptures, drawings and lithographs by well-known artists.

Clinton Lake State Recreation Area - DeWitt
If you’re looking for the ideal place to drop your line and catch a record fish, look no farther than Clinton Lake State Recreation Area. Recreational opportunities abound at this 9,300-acre facility, just 3 miles east of Clinton in central Illinois. From picnicking, hiking and camping to swimming, water skiing and boating to hunting for upland game, people from all over the Midwest flock to Clinton Lake to enjoy the great outdoors.

Frank Holten State Recreation Area - East St. Louis
Located within sight of St. Louis Gateway Arch, Frank Holten is an urban site almost entirely surrounded by East St. Louis. The 1,080-acre park features an 18-hole golf course and facilities for fishing, picnicking, and other outdoor recreational activities.

Elgin Museum - Elgin
The Museum is housed in an 1856 landmark building known as Old Main that was once part of the Elgin Academy. It is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Through permanent and changing exhibits, the museum brings to life Elgin's rich heritage. Permanent exhibits include Elgin National Watch Company, the E. Maude and Carl Parlasca Native American Collection, and Elgin Road Race memorabilia.

Elgin Public Museum - Elgin
Elgin Public Museum is the only natural history museum in the Fox Valley area. The museum offers exhibits and educational programs with natural history and cultural themes for families, school groups, scouts, clubs, organizations, homeschoolers, and anyone who wants to have fun while learning!

Elmhurst Art Museum - Elmhurst
The Elmhurst Art Museum is the cultural center of DuPage County, Illinois. Specializing in late 20th Century American Art, its award winning building was designed around McCormick House, one of only three Ludwig Mies van der Rohe designed residences built in the United States and the first such residence in the U.S. to be reconceived as part of a regional art museum.

Elmhurst Historical Museum - Elmhurst
Elmhurst Historical Museum offers extensive resources for authors, researchers, residents, and students to discover more about Elmhurst history.

Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art - Elmhurst
The Lizzadro Museum displays gemstone treasures created by ancient craftsmen as well as by contemporary artists. The building itself is a gem, designed to resemble a jewel box in a park setting.

Theatre Historical Society of America - Elmhurst
THSA is the only organization in the U.S. which exclusively records and preserves the rich architectural, cultural and social history of America's theatres. THSA is on the second floor of the York Theatre building. The Society also operates the following, located there: The American Theatre Architecture Archives, which contains an extensive collection of photographs, slides, negatives, books, blueprints, clippings, videos, printed programs, and other material on historic theatres, primarily in the U.S. The American Movie Palace Museum, featuring exhibits of photographs, artworks, antiques, artifacts, and other memorabilia relating primarily to the "golden age of the movie palace."

Saline County State Fish & Wildlife Area - Equality
Saline County State Fish & Wildlife Area, five miles southeast of Equality in southeastern Illinois, was the site of springs and wells that furnished brine for one of the two salt works in the area. Today, although the springs and wells are not visible, the area primarily is a recreational site. The initial acquisition of 524 acres of land was made in 1959 by the state of Illinois and the total acreage now is 1,270 acres, including a beautiful 105-acre lake.

eta Creative Arts Foundation - eta CREATIVE ARTS FOUNDATION
eta CREATIVE ARTS FOUNDATION seeks to be a major cultural resource institution for the preservation, perpetuation and promulgation of the African American aesthetic in the City of Chicago, the State of Illinois and the Nation. Toward this end, eta CREATIVE ARTS FOUNDATION, shall provide professional opportunities by way of training and performance for the development of both youth and adults as artists and technicians; sales for visual artists through the gallery and exposure for the general public to authentic, valid projections of African American lifestyles, experiences and aspirations.

Evanston History Center - Evanston
The mission of the Evanston History Center is to collect, preserve and interpret the rich history of the City of Evanston and all its people through exhibits, educational programs and research facilities.

Frances Willard House - Evanston
The Frances Willard House is one of two vertical board-and-batten houses remaining in Evanston, Illinois. The Willard House is both an Evanston Landmark and a National Historic Landmark. It is located at 1730 Chicago Avenue in Evanston. - Managed by The Woman's Christian Temperance Union

Mary and Leigh Block Museum of Ar - Evanston
The Mary and Leigh Block Museum of Art, Northwestern University, is the fine arts museum of Chicago’s North Shore, offering focused visual arts programming for the Northwestern University community and the greater Chicago area. The Museum mounts several exhibitions a year, organizes numerous lectures, symposia, and workshops with artists and scholars, and screens classic and contemporary films at Block Cinema. We also reach national and international audiences through our traveling exhibitions, publications, and Web site. Our expanding permanent collection — consisting primarily of works on paper — distinguishes the Museum as an important repository of original works of art.

Mitchell Museum of the American Indian - Evanston
We are the only museum in the Chicagoland area that focuses exclusively on the history, culture and arts of the North American native people. The Museum's collections range from the Paleo-Indian period through the present day. Permanent exhibitions depict the Native American cultures of the Woodlands, Plains, Southwest, Northwest Coast and Arctic.

The Prehistoric Life Museum - Evanston
Dave’s “Down To Earth’’ Rock Shop’s Prehistoric Life Museum is a privately owned collection of the Douglass family. There are fossils from all the major periods of the past. An audiotape briefs visitors of the prehistoric past and briefly describes each era. The collection includes dinosaur footprints, bones and the world’s largest carnivorous dinosaur egg. Fossils date back a billion or more years. A collage of 30 million year old insects in amber greets the visitors. There is mammoth and saber-tooth tiger material and an entire 20,000 year-old cave bear skeleton.

Eagle Creek State Recreation Area - Findlay
In east central Illinois--just minutes from Springfield, Decatur, Champaign, Effingham and surrounding communities--the Eagle Creek/Wolf Creek sites, facing each other across the central portion of Lake Shelbyville, provide the perfect setting for outdoor recreation, natural relaxation, and luxurious accommodations for a day, a weekend, or even longer.

Sand Ridge State Forest - Forest City
For those who think central Illinois is one big corn field, Sand Ridge State Forest will come as a very pleasant surprise. The forest is an island in a sea of agriculture. Just minutes southwest of Peoria, this 7,200-acre, the largest of Illinois' State Forests, boasts sweeping expanses of native oak-hickory, extensive plantations of pine, sprawling open fields, grasslands, and completely unique sand prairies. For a refreshing, invigorating taste of unspoiled nature and an opportunity to experience truly unique environment, Sand Ridge State Forest is ideal.

Franklin Creek State Natural Area - Franklin Grove
Franklin Creek State Natural Area is located in Lee County, one mile northwest of the village of Franklin Grove and eight miles east of Dixon just north of Illinois Route 38. The beautiful Franklin Creek flows throughout the 664-acre park. Several large natural springs, hardwood forests, bedrock outcroppings, and a large variety of flora and fauna comprise a pristine ecosystem.

Battle of Chaplin Creek - Franklin Grove
Sponsored by the Franklin Grove Area Historical Society & hosted by Battery G, 2nd Illinois Light Artillery. Needed are Civilian re-enactors to man the village stores, the blacksmith shop, the village jail, the schoolhouse, etc. We need Union and Confederate Infantry, Cavalry, Medical, (Artillery by invitation only). Check website for event held in June.

Stephenson County Historical Society - Freeport
The mission of the Stephenson County Historical Society, in partnership with the Freeport Park District, is to preserve, present, and promote local and regional history. This is achieved by maintaining and collecting quality artifacts, by educating the community, by collaborating with other institutions and organizations, and by interpreting and professionally presenting our local history. By fulfilling our mission, we unify the Stephenson County community through pride in its rich and historical traditions.

Galena History Museum - Galena
All housed in an 1858 Mansion Part of the excitement of the museum is its setting -- a beautiful Italianate home built as a private residence by Galena merchant Daniel Barrows. Much of the home's original detail still exists. So step back in time and explore Galena's past in the ambiance of 19th century surroundings.

Old Market House - Galena
The Old Market House, constructed in 1845-1846, was the focal point of community life during Galena's heyday. The greek revival Old Market House sheltered vendors and shoppers, who gathered in the heart of the river city's business district until 1910. Ownership of the building was transferred to the State of Illinois in 1947, and the Old Market House was restored in 1955. Today the Old Market House State Historic Site is managed by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency and is the scene of many changing exhibits, meetings and special events.

Ulysses S. Grant Home - Galena
On August 18, 1865, Galena celebrated the return of its Civil War hero General Ulysses S. Grant. Following a jubilant procession with much flag waving and speeches, a group of Galena citizens presented the General with a handsome furnished house on Bouthillier Street. The house is managed by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency as the U.S. Grant Home State Historic Site.

Galesburg Railroad Museum - Galesburg
Railroad memorabilia housed in a Pullman parlor car and a collection of restored railroad cars that include a steam engine, postal and express agency and caboose.

New Geneva History Center - Geneva
The mission of the Geneva Historical Society in operating its museum and archives is to collect preserve, study, interpret and exhibit significant materials relating to the community and to provide related educational and advocacy services for the purpose of increasing and enriching public knowledge.

Harry "Babe" Woodyard State Natural Area - Georgetown

Willowbrook Wildlife Center - Glen Ellyn
Willowbrook Wildlife Center is an education center and a wildlife rehabilitation center operated by the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County. Our goal is to provide rehabilitation to native and passing migrant wildlife of DuPage county and education on the biological and ecosystems current and native to this area. We achieve these goals through our rehabilitation facilities and educational staff.

Chicago Botanic Garden - Glencoe
From the farmhouse to the White House, vegetable gardening has captured the imagination and attention of seasoned as well as novice gardeners across the nation. The Garden is a place of ever-changing natural beauty that makes each visit unique. Late-spring bulbs are wowing visitors with their multiple charms. Take a walk in McDonald Woods, the Garden's 100-acre restored oak woodland, where spring's ephemeral wildflowers beckon among the tall native trees. Learn what the Garden is doing to save the world's plants, and what you can do to support the Garden's efforts: Save the plants. Save the Planet.

Glencoe Historical Society - Glencoe
Our Museum contains several permanent exhibits as well as multiple thematic exhibits each year drawn from the Society’s collection. The Research Center manages the collections and is available to genealogists, historians, and others who have questions about Glencoe’s history

Golconda Marina State Recreation Area - Golconda
Golconda Marina is located in the southeastern portion of Pope County along a scenic stretch of the Ohio River at Golconda, IL. The 274-acre site is a full-service boat marina with 206 slips. The marina serves as the gateway to the Smithland Pool area of the Ohio River. Smithland Pool, a 23,000-acre recreational area of fingered tributaries off the Ohio River, is recognized as one of the finest fishing and boating areas in the nation.

Ferne Clyffe State Park - Goreville
Ferne Clyffe has been known as an outstanding natural scenic spot for nearly 100 years. An abundance of ferns, unique geological features and unusual plant communities create an atmosphere that enhances the many recreational facilities offered at the park. Trails wind through picturesque woods, allowing visitors to view fascinating rock formations and inspiring vistas.

Mississippi River State Fish & Wildlife Area - Grafton
Imagine an area that includes 15 wildlife management areas and 13 public access areas, spanning more than 24,000 acres, and scattered along 75 miles of two major rivers. Add to this awe-inspiring bluffs that tower over the river valley, providing breathtaking views, and you begin to get some idea of what awaits you at the Mississippi River State Fish and Wildlife Area (MRA).

Pere Marquette State Park - Grafton
A nature-lover's paradise, this 8,000-acre park is famous for the exceptional beauty of its fall colors and for its bald eagles during the winter. In addition to enjoying the spectacular view of the Illinois River and its backwaters from several points atop the bluffs, visitors can take advantage of a variety of year-round recreational opportunities, including horseback riding, camping, hiking, fishing, hunting, and boating.

Horseshoe Lake State Park (Madison County) - Granite City
Horseshoe Lake is located off Highway 111 in Madison County which lies in the southwestern part of Illinois. Only minutes away from a large surrounding urban area, the park offers a wide variety of recreational opportunities on 2,960 acres.

Grayslake Historical Society - Grayslake
Promoting and preserving pioneering history that has charted more than a century of progress.

Ray Norbut State Fish & Wildlife Area - Griggsville
Ray Norbut Fish and Wildlife Area is a 1,140-acre mosaic of bottomlands, woodlands, wetlands, open fields, steep hills, rocky ravines, hollows, brushy draws and bluffs. Located along the Illinois River, it lies five miles east of Griggsville and two miles south of Valley City in Pike County. Big Blue Island, a narrow, 100-acre strip of land in the river, is part of the conservation area. Other notable geographic features are two west-east flowing streams-Blue Creek, a river tributary, and the spring-fed Napoleon Hollow Creek.

Wildlife Prairie State Park - Hanna City
We offer a variety of programs to a variety of age levels. If you'd like to 'get up close and personal' with some of our animals.

Green River State Wildlife Area - Harmon
The Green River State Wildlife Area is a wildlife restoration area popular among hunters, hikers, birders and other outdoor enthusiasts. Topography of the 2,565-acre area varies from flat to gently rolling. Swampy slough areas dominate nearly a third of the acreage, but the remaining portions are prairie restorations, open fields, cultivated areas or timberlands. Many of these areas have been specially planted and managed to provide more food and cover for a variety of wildlife species. Native prairie plants are found in many portions of the Green River Area.

Putnam County Historical Society - Agricultural Museum - Hennepin
The home of antique farm equipment, a permanent exhibit on the history of corn in the United States, a permanent exhibit on the Illinois River and area wildlife and many other exhibits too numerous to mention. While no regular hours have been established, the museum is available by appointment and at least once a year in August for our annual open house.

Crawford County State Fish and Wildlife Area - Hutsonville
Crawford County State Fish and Wildlife Area is located two miles west and one mile south of Hutsonville, and seven miles north of Robinson, Illinois. The area is comprised of 1,129 total acres, with 1,100 huntable acres. Being roughly bisected from east to west by Huston Creek, the area is generally rolling. The area along the south side of the creek is more steeply rolling and forms a bluff. About 100 acres of bottomland are located adjacent to the creek, mostly on the north side of the stream. Some open land is incorporated into a tenant program to improve wildlife habitat and insure abundant, good quality grain foods for game species and other wildlife. The timbered areas are a high quality, mature oak-hickory type.

Volo Bog State Natural Area - Ingleside
If you're looking for a truly unique outdoor adventure, head for Volo Bog State Natural Area in northeastern Illinois. Just 45 miles northwest of Chicago in Lake County, this natural area contains Volo Bog, the only "quaking" bog in Illinois to have an open water center.

Sam Dale Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area - Johnsonville
Gently rolling terrain, lush woods and a beautiful lake make the Sam Dale Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area the perfect spot for a family outing. Located northwest of Johnsonville in Wayne County, this area has something for everyone: fishing, hunting, picnicking, camping and swimming. Visitors may see quail, rabbit, dove, squirrel, deer, muskrat, fox, raccoon, owls, turkey, hawk, woodstock, or beaver as they roam the timber or brushy fields of the park. The highlight of a visit here will be Sam Dale Lake, a beautiful 194 acre lake with eight and a half miles of shoreline to hike around, swim in, or just sit beside and enjoy. In addition, several smaller ponds are home to fish and wildlife.

Joliet Area Historical Museum - Joliet
Your visit to the Joliet Area Historical Museum is a journey through time. Here you will experience how people lived, worked, traveled and built the foundation for today’s thriving community. Walk through a life-size replica depicting the building of the historic Illinois Michigan Canal. Stroll down a turn-of-the-century street past store fronts showcasing fashions of yesteryear. Browse through a hardware store. Take a virtual ride on a replica trolley. Along the way, meet life-size models, interact with touch-screen visuals, view award-winning audio-visuals and learn how the past shaped the world you now enjoy.

Museum of Victorian Life - Joliet
The museum was founded in memory of Seth Magosky and his work in researching the History of Joliet and Will County. Through his writing, his books, newspaper articles, his radio program, tours, television program and involvement in the community shared and encouraged his love of history and architecture.

Union County State Fish & Wildlife Area - Jonesboro
The Union County State Fish & Wildlife Area was acquired by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources in the late 1940s and developed a wintering goose population in excess of 50,000 birds by 1964. Since then, controlled harvest through the quota system and continued provision of quality winter sanctuary and food have contributed to a total southern Illinois winter population of nearly 500,000 Canada geese. The Union County segment of this population varies from 50,000 to 100,000 each winter.

Trail of Tears State Forest - Jonesboro
An Illinois State Forest - Trail of Tears, one of Illinois' state forests, is situated in western Union County, five miles northwest of Jonesboro and 20 miles south of Murphysboro. Just over 5,000 acres are within the State Forest. Trail of Tears State Forest is a multiple-use site managed for timber, wildlife, ecosystem preservation, watershed protection and recreation.

Big River State Forest - Keithsburg
Big River State Forest in western Illinois’ Henderson County is 8 miles north of Oquawka on the Oquawka-Keithsburg blacktop. The forest is managed primarily to demonstrate sound forestry practices with demonstrations and talks on these practices available to interested groups.

Johnson-Sauk Trail State Recreation Area - Kewanee
From cross-country skiing in the winter to a lazy picnic in the summer, from a fishing trip in the spring to exploring fields of wildflowers amidst the fall colors of the giant oaks, Johnson-Sauk Trail State Park truly is a park for all seasons.

Kewanee Historical Society - Kewanee
The Historical society was organized November 6, 1976. - Three floors of local history include our 300 scrapbooks of early factories, business, churches and other landmarks. - Kewanee is an Indian name meaning .. Prairie Chicken.

Stephen A. Forbes State Recreation Area - Kinmundy
Picture yourself on the banks of a beautiful lake, surrounded by shady oaks and rolling hills. The presence of a graceful heron on the water, or deer or even a wild turkey in the nearby brush may be visible. A tug on the fishing line brings you back to the task at hand -- reeling in the first or your limit of largemouth bass, bluegill or crappie. As the sun comes up, take a swim at sandy Rocky Point Beach. The rest of the day offers many options, from hiking on the nature trails, to softball or volleyball at the Circle Drive Picnic Area to water skiing. Or, you may want to spend the night at the Oak Ridge Campground. All of this, and more, awaits visitors to Stephen A. Forbes State Recreation Area.

Ingrams Pioneer Log Cabin Village - Kinmundy
Ingram's Pioneer Log Cabin Village offers you the opportunity to enjoy a leisurely walk along the streets of the Log Cabin Village and be transported back in time to a pre-civil war era. Visit log cabins built from 1818-1860.

Marshall State Fish & Wildlife Area - Lacon
Marshall State Fish and Wildlife Area, located along nearly 10 miles of scenic Illinois River backwaters, bottomlands and bluffs, lies in the heart of the mallard duck flyway and supports a wide variety of animals, plants and outdoor pursuits.

Garfield Farm and Inn Museum - LaFox
The museum offers a variety of educational, family, and entertainment events. Seminars are held on such topics as prairie, woodlands, and wetlands management; bat and blue bird box construction; and fruit tree grafting. Specials shows bring rare breed livestock, heirloom garden products and seeds, and collections of antique farm tools. Prairie walks are conducted monthly. And there are social events like barn dances and a candlelight tavern reception at the Inn in December.

Wildlife Discovery Center - Lake Forest
The Wildlife Discovery Center is a facility that promotes programs that are geared for people of all ages who have an interest in plants, wildlife and the environment. Education, recreation and responsible stewardship through real life experiences are the primary focuses of this program. People will learn how important it is to respect the delicate balance between the needs of wildlife and the needs of other and how we all can exist together with a deep sense of respect for conservation of our dwindling and precious natural resources. Over 100 species, comprising of reptiles, amphibians and raptors, represent our collection.

Lansing Historical Society & Museum - Lansing
The museum is a non-profit organization, and volunteers of the Lansing Historical Society run it. The Lansing Historical Museum houses considerable information in a small space. - The information contained is unique. Some of the articles that are displayed in the museum were used in the early 1900s. Some of these items include cookware, tools, and clothing.

Canal Corridor Association - LaSalle
Dedicated to preserving history, protecting nature and open space, and creating tourism destinations in the I&M Canal National Heritage Corridor.

Lemont Area Historical Society - Lemont
Located in the 1861 Old Stone Church, displays include General Store, Old School room, Stable, Medical Office, war relics, and more!

Lake Le-Aqua-Na State Recreation Area - Lena
Whether you visit for an afternoon or stay a few days, you will leave Lake Le-Aqua-Na State Recreation Area with many happy memories. Highlighted by a 40-acre lake and all the recreational opportunities there, the park also offers multi-use trails, picnic areas, and RV, tent, equestrian and youth group campgrounds. Lake Le-Aqua-Na’s name is the result of a contest sponsored by the Stephenson County Sportmans Club, one of the park’s many sponsors. The name is a combination of the town of Lena and the Latin word for water, aqua.

Moraine View State Recreation Area - LeRoy
With fully developed facilities for picnicking, camping, hiking, swimming, fishing, boating, horseback riding and hunting, the 1,687-acre Moraine View State Recreation Area, with its 158-acre lake, is a beautiful, convenient and accessible locale for relaxation and recreation.

Dickson Mounds Museum - Lewistown
The Dickson Mounds Museum, a branch of the Illinois State Museum and a National Historic Site, is one of the major on-site archaeological museums in the United States. It offers a unique opportunity to explore the world of the American Indian in an awe inspiring journey through 12,000 years of human experience in the Illinois River Valley. Visitors to the museum, in west-central Illinois, encounter innovative interpretive exhibits; exciting hands-on activities; archaeological sites; and a variety of special events in a rural setting.

Lake County Discovery Museum - Libertyville
The Lake County Discovery Museum provides a fun, well-rounded museum experience close to home. Hands-on interactive exhibits introduce the history of Lake County in a fun learning environment. The museum also displays the nation’s largest permanent exhibition on the history and significance of postcards. Changing exhibits in our special exhibition galleries take inspiration from art, history and popular culture.

Edward R. Madigan State Fish & Wildlife Area - Lincoln
Edward R. Madigan (1936-1994) was honored for his lifelong dedication to state and national public service when Railsplitter State Park was renamed in his memory in 1995. The site is along Salt Creek in Logan County on the south edge of Lincoln.This 974-acre site is an ideal destination for those looking for a quiet and peaceful experience.

Morton Arboretum - Lisle
The Morton Arboretum is an internationally recognized nonprofit organization dedicated to the planting and conservation of trees. Its 1,700 acres hold collections of more than 4,000 kinds of trees, shrubs, and other plants from around the world. The Arboretum offers extensive educational programming for all ages, conducts leading research on tree health and tree improvement, breeds and introduces hardy and disease-resistant trees and shrubs for distribution throughout the Midwest, and presents nature-related activities year-round for people of all ages and interests.

Gladys Fox Museum - Lockport
Lockport Township Park District takes pride in the beautifully restored 1839 Old Congregational Church, now named the Gladys Fox Museum. The Gladys Fox Museum contains historical photographs and memorabilia of Dellwood Park and the I&M Canal.

Lombard Historical Museum - Lombard
The Museum house is original to the site on which it stands. - It was built in the early 1880's, but the interior rooms have been restored to the period of the 1870's. As Lombard was incorporated into a village in 1869, our house epitomizes middle class life of the very first year of the Village of Lombard.

Rock Cut State Park - Loves Park
Chiseled out of the state’s far northern region is Rock Cut State Park in Winnebego County. Nearby are other "rocky" landmarks - the mighty Rock River and the place where wagons once forded it, Rockford. It’s an area of rolling plains, interesting history and recreational variety.

Woodford State Fish & Wildlife Area - Low Point
Woodford State Fish and Wildlife Area is a picturesque area along the east side of the Illinois River. Among its features are many artesian wells, which make the manmade channels an excellent winter fishing area. The 2,900-acre site, of which 2,462-acres are water, is a favorite stopping point for waterfowl during migration.

Mackinaw River State Fish and Wildlife Area - Mackinaw
1,448 Acres over timbered hills, open meadows, and river bottoms, Canoe Access, Fishing, Hiking, Hunting, Nature Preserve and Picnicking.

Early American Museum - Mahomet
The mission of the Early American Museum is to collect, preserve and interpret the history of East Central Illinois, specifically Champaign County, for the education and enjoyment of present and future generations

Giant City State Park - Makanda
With its breathtaking natural beauty and unlimited opportunities for outdoor recreation, a trip to Giant City State Park near Carbondale is sure to delight visitors of all ages. From camping and horseback riding to fishing and rappelling, it’s an outdoor lover’s paradise. Visitors will marvel at the many wilderness trails, and a sure treat awaits anyone hiking the Giant City Nature Trail, home of the “Giant City Streets” formed 12,000 years ago by huge bluffs of sandstone.

Round Barn Museum - Manhattan
Fulton County Historical Society - Famous for our Trail of Courage Living History Festival, Redbud Trail Rendezvous and Round Barn Museum, we are surrounded by historic round barns and located in the birthplace of the first Tarzan, Elmo Lincoln and other famous people. Offering around-the-clock accessibility to information about special events, project updates, volunteer opportunities, and event registrations, we invite you to visit often. Photographs, related news articles, as well as a calendar are included to enable you to be an active participant. Join us as we travel through the pages of history.

Spring Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area - Manito
Spring Lake Fish and Wildlife Area is located in Tazewell county, 25 miles southwest of Peoria on the east side of the Illinois River.

Illini State Park - Marseilles
Illini State Park is the kind of park you think of when you think of big picnics and family gatherings. With its rustic Civilian Conservation Corps buildings and riverside picnic areas, Illini State Park offers beautiful views and a sense of history not found in many other parks.

LaSalle Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area - Marseilles
LaSalle Lake, a manmade, 2,058-acre lake 8 miles southeast of Marseilles, is popular among anglers. Serving as a cooling lake for Commonwealth Edison's LaSalle Power Station, the lake is formed by levees that rise above the surrounding land.

Lincoln Trail State Park - Marshall
Whether you are looking for history, unusual plant life or recreation, Lincoln Trail State Park has something to interest you. Located just west of Illinois Route 1, two miles south of Marshall in Clark County, the area is named after the trail Abraham Lincoln's family followed en route from Indiana to Illinois in 1831. Three Native American groups, the Miami, Kickapoo and Mascouten, occupied the site before it was ceded to the United States in the early 19th century.

Moraine Hills State Park - McHenry
From angling to hiking, from viewing rare plants to observing migratory waterfowl, Moraine Hills State Park offers you a recreational bounty. Located in the northeast corner of Illinois, the park is 3 miles south of McHenry. McHenry Dam, on the Fox River, is on the park's western border. Roughly half of the park's 2,200 acres is composed of wetlands and lakes.

Hamilton County State Fish & Wildlife Area - McLeansboro
Hamilton County State Fish and Wildlife Area, also known as Dolan Lake, is located about 8 miles southeast of McLeansboro off Route 14. Dolan Lake is the main attraction of the park. The earthen dam was constructed in 1962 and the lake was filled shortly thereafter. The 75-acre lake has a shoreline of 3 miles and maximum depth of 18 feet. The lake contains largemouth bass, bluegill, sunfish, crappie, channel catfish and bullheads. Winter fishing is allowed when the ice is thick enough.

Ten Mile Creek State Fish & Wildlife Area - McLeansboro
The Ten Mile Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area is located in southeastern Jefferson County and the western sections of Hamilton County. Access to the site can be gained from rural roads leading from Illinois Route 142 and Illinois Route 14. The site provides a wide range of outdoor recreation opportunities which include wildlife viewing, hiking, fishing, target shooting, hunting and trapping.

Mendota Museum & Historical Society - Mendota
Mendota Museum & Historical Society's Mission is to promote the preservation of the history of Mendota, its railroads and recognizing agricultural heritage through three museums.

Illinois Mennonite Heritage Center - Metamora
Collecting, Interpreting, Preserving, Sharing artifacts and information relating to the faith and life of Mennonites in Illinois

Metamora Courthouse - Metamora
The Metamora Courthouse was built in 1845 and served as the center of county government until the county seat was moved to Eureka in 1896. It is one of two surviving courthouses on the historic Eighth Judicial Circuit traveled by Abraham Lincoln. In 1978 the Courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The first floor of the two-story brick structure contains a central hall flanked by two exhibit rooms, one displaying artifacts of early local history, the other with exhibits describing the 1850s court system and Lincoln's life on the Eighth Judicial Circuit. On the second floor, the former courtroom and two small chambers are furnished to represent the era during which Lincoln practiced law. Visitors may take guided tours of the building or view the rooms and exhibits on their own. A ten-minute video history of the building, which includes images and interpretation of the second floor, is available for viewing. The building’s first floor is accessible to persons with disabilities, the second floor is not.

Fort Massac State Park - Metropolis
Experience the scenic splendor of Southern Illinois with plenty of outdoor fun and time-telling events at Fort Massac State Park. Overlooking the mighty Ohio River from the southern tip of Illinois, this majestic location has been preserved and maintained since 1908, when it became Illinois’ first state park. Today, Fort Massac is a captivating reminder of days gone by, a fascinating excursion through the entire course of American history, and the perfect place to relax in soothing natural surroundings and explore life as it was lived when our country was young.

Horseshoe Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area (Alexander County) - Miller City
As you explore the Horseshoe Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area, you may be reminded of the Deep South. The charm of bald cypress, tupelo gum, swamp cottonwood trees and wild lotus makes the recreational activities at the site even more enjoyable.

Belgian Museum of the Quad Cities - Moline
The Center for Belgian Culture was established to preserve and share our proud heritage, forming a social and professional network to help Belgians residing in, or visiting the Quad Cities area. And of course we promote the image of Belgium and encourage the ties of social relations between Belgians in the Quad Cities and elsewhere in the world.

John Deere Pavilion - Moline
The John Deere Pavilion was created as a celebration of the past, present and future of agribusiness. It has attracted guests from all corners of the globe and is recognized as the world’s most comprehensive agricultural exhibit. John Deere’s dream of producing a superior self-scouring plow for the western farmer became a reality in 1848, with his first manufacturing plant located on the banks of the Mississippi River. This history-shaping development in agriculture is preserved and celebrated at the Pavilion. Interactive exhibits mingle with actual John Deere equipment, creating a unique, hands-on and climb-on experience for visitors.

Rock Island County Historical Society - Moline
Celebrating 100+ years of collecting and preserving the history of Rock Island County The Rock Island County Historical Society is a non-profit organization founded in 1905 by a group of community leaders dedicated to preserving the history of Rock Island County. Our facilities are located in an 1870s home and adjoining research archival library in an historic district of Moline, Illinois. In 1992, a library was built to collect the records which were formerly kept in the basement of the house. The library is used extensively by local and visiting genealogists, businesses, the news media and the academic community. The wealth of materials in the library continues to grow, and a volunteer staff provides assistance.

Monticello Railway Museum - Monticello
An all-volunteer organization in central Illinois with an operational railroad yard open to the public. We offer train rides on weekends and holidays from May through October, regardless of weather conditions, as well as a number of special events throughout the year. We also collect, preserve, interpret, and exhibit materials and artifacts from throughout the fascinating history of trains and railroading. Come explore our many rail cars and other equipment, and view our museum displays.

Gebhard Woods State Park - Morris
Gebhard Woods State Park was originally purchased from Mrs. William Gebhard by the Grundy County Rod & Gun Club in 1934 for the amount of $1,500.00. A game fish rearing pool was developed on the property by the Rod and Gun club who in turn donated the property to the State of Illinois to be developed and maintained as Gebhard Woods State Park. Members of the Brandon-Morris Civilian Conservation Corps were employed by the Department of the Interior to clear and landscape this newly formed state park. The CCC developed two additional spawning pools for game fish, interior trails, a large shelter of handhewn beams with flagstone flooring, two small log shelters complete with fireplaces, a sheltered resting bench and a large stone fireplace.

Goose Lake Prairie State Natural Area - Morris
Early settlers to Illinois, in an attempt to describe the unfamiliar terrain they were encountering, referred to it as “a sea of grass with pretty flowers.” Today, Goose Lake Prairie State Natural Area serves as testimony to the prairies that once covered nearly 60 percent of the state. Located in Grundy County, Goose Lake Prairie is approximately 50 miles southwest of Chicago and 1 mile southwest of the confluence of the Kankakee and Des Plaines rivers. More than half of Goose Lake Prairie is a dedicated nature preserve, protected by law for future generations from any change to the natural environment. In addition to furnishing a look into Illinois’ past, the prairie provides important nesting habitat for endangered or threatened species of birds, such as the upland sandpiper and Henslow’s sparrow.

Heidecke Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area - Morris
Located southeast of Morris, Heidecke Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area is managed by the Department of Natural Resources for fishing and hunting. DNR has leased Heidecke Lake since 1978, when it was built as a cooling lake for the Collins power plant, which is now owned and operated by Midwest Generation. The lake provides more than 1,300 acres of prime fishing opportunities.

I & M Canal - Morris
Illinois & Michigan Canal - History buffs, nature lovers and sportsmen will thrill to the sights and sounds of the 96-mile route of the Illinois and Michigan Canal. Along its banks are numerous state parks, restored historical sites, and abundance of wildlife and distinctive landscapes, ranging from bluffs to rolling hills. Visitors can follow the I&M Canal State Trail beginning at Rockdale along the old towpath to LaSalle and experience 61.5 miles of scenic views of the canal and the Des Plaines and Illinois rivers. At every turn, trail users will find something of interest. One can spend an afternoon or several days exploring the wonders along this picturesque and unique area.

William G. Stratton State Park - Morris
Named after an Illinois governor, the William G. Stratton State Park was developed in 1959 to provide boat access to the Illinois River. Any one of four public boat launching ramps will provide your start to an afternoon of boating, fishing or water-skiing. A jet ski launching area is located a short distance to the east of the boat ramps.

Morrison-Rockwood State Park - Morrison
A trip to picturesque Morrison-Rockwood State Park offers many memorable experiences. A large sign in the shape of Illinois, fashioned from angle iron by a blacksmith, greets visitors at the entrance. Once inside, choose from a variety of recreational opportunities. Beautiful Lake Carlton, a stream-fed reservoir, features an abundance of ducks and geese, and is considered a prime location for fishing. Or, plan a family outing at the Lakeview picnic area, or just do some bird watching among the hickory, ash, oak and walnut trees.

Beall Woods State Park - Mount Carmel
Located on the banks of the Wabash River in southeastern Illinois, Beall Woods attracts visitors from around the world wanting a glimpse of one of the few remaining tracts of virgin timber east of the Mississippi River where one can see trees 120 feet tall and over 3 feet in diameter. Besides hiking, Beall Woods also offers camping, picnicking, and fishing to the visitor who wants to spend time in a quiet, relaxing setting.

Moweaqua Coal Mine Museum - Moweaqua
The Moweaqua Coal Mine Museum was dedicated on May 25, 1986. The museum houses a number of coal mining artifacts from the Moweaqua Coal Mine, which ceased operation in 1935. The most remembered fact about the Moweaqua Coal Mine is the mine disaster; however pictures, newspaper clippings, coal mining tools and other mine related material are also on display. There is no charge for the museum. Donations are accepted.

Carl L. Schweinfurth Historical Museum and Interpretive Center - Mt Vernon
The many aspects of the lives of Jefferson County military personnel and their families are portrayed---dating from the Civil War to the present: how they lived, what they wore, where they served, what they wrote, what they collected, where they lived, and how they served with honor and pride.

Wabash County Museum - Mt. Carmel
Exhibits: Banking Through Changing Times. The Influence of the Automobile on Wabash County. Celebrations of Life, What We Wore. A Tribute to Brace Beemer: The Lone Ranger. Neighborhood Groceries: Where Have They Gone? The Clubs and Organizations. The Oil Boom Era. 1900: A Year in Retrospect. Churches Around Wabash County.

White Pines Forest State Park - Mt. Morris
Located in the heart of the Rock River valley, this charming 385-acre park is the south boundary of the old Chicago-Iowa Trail. History tells us that this was for years the principal route east and west across the northern part of the state. Today the park provides the perfect recipe for family getaways. There are plenty of outdoor recreation activities, such as hiking, fishing, camping and picnicking. With lots of serene, picturesque beauty, and modern lodge facilities amidst a beautiful forest, there is no better way to retreat from the everyday routine than to re-discover yourself and your family among the open spaces at White Pines.

Cedarhurst Center For The Arts - Mt. Vernon
Nestled on a 90-acre site in southern Illinois, Cedarhurst celebrates the arts year-round with exciting visual and performing arts programs for the public. Explore rolling meadows and woods, home to Cedarhurst Sculpture Park, the museum's outdoor gallery with over 60 large-scale sculptures. Visit the Mitchell Museum with contemporary art exhibitions in two galleries, including the Children's Gallery. Enjoy works by Mary Cassatt, Maurice Prendergast, Childe Hassam and more, part of the museum's American painting collection acquired by founders John R. and Eleanor R. Mitchell.

Spitler Woods State Natural Area - Mt. Zion
Camping, Picnicking, Nature Preserve/Natural Area, and Hiking.

Kinkaid Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area - Murphysboro
Topography varies from sandstone bluff formations to rolling hills surrounding the lake where oaks and hickories predominate. Numerous flat contours are planted with prairie grasses, cool-season grasses and wildlife food plots.

Lake Murphysboro State Park - Murphysboro
Beautiful rolling hills and woods surround star-shaped Lake Murphysboro and provide a wonderful backdrop for boating, fishing, picnicking, camping and hiking. Located in Jackson County about one mile west of Murphysboro off Route 149, the 1,022-acre state park is the perfect place to enjoy the great outdoors.

General John A. Logan Museum - Murphysboro
John A. Logan’s fame did not end with his death — he would be honored well into the twentieth century as the founder of Memorial Day. It is the mission of the General John A. Logan Museum to use the life and accomplishments of General John A. Logan and his family to educate the general public about the lives of Southern Illinois residents as they accommodated the sociological, political, economic, and technological changes of the nineteenth century.

DuPage Children's Museum - Naperville
DuPage Children's Museum is made up of many different exhibit neighborhoods and has three floors--each one special in its own way. Each neighborhood is packed with exciting ways to explore art, math, science and how they work together in the world. There are also three Young Explorers neighborhoods (adjacent to our other exhibit neighborhoods) designed for children up to 24 months.

Naper Settlement - Naperville
Our living history museum tells the story of daily life in Naperville as it changed from a simple frontier outpost to a bustling turn-of-the-century community. With costumed villagers, annual events and special exhibits, you never know what a visit to the Settlement will bring! Enjoy the experience as your pulse slows and you breathe a little easier in our 19th century world.

Washington County State Recreational Area - Nashville
Wildlife abounds in the Washington County State Recreation Area located four miles south of Nashville in southern Illinois. Visitors will marvel at the sight of rabbit, quail, squirrel, dove, deer and woodcock among the stands of pines, brushy draws and fallow fields. The beautiful Washington County Lake makes this site a special place for relaxing or fishing. Whether boating on its 248 acres, or fishing or hiking its 13-mile shoreline, the lake offers a perfect opportunity for family fun. This natural area has more than 900 acres for hunting, making it a paradise for shotgun or bow and arrow sportsmen. Whether camping, hunting, fishing, boating, hiking or picnicking, you will find Washington County State Recreation Area has what you are looking for.

Nauvoo State Park - Nauvoo
Its first name was Quashquema, a Fox Indian word meaning "peaceful place." Its current name is Nauvoo, a Hebrew word for "beautiful place" or "pleasant land." This historic town is the backdrop for Nauvoo State Park, on the banks of the Mississippi River in western Illinois' Hancock County. The 148-acre park, on the south edge of Nauvoo along Illinois Route 96, includes a 13-acre lake with a mile-long shoreline. In addition to fishing, boating, camping and hiking, people return to these serene surroundings for the park's recreational features, its annual grape festival, and to soak up the area's history.

Peabody River King State Fish and Wildlife Area - New Athens
2,220 Acres dominated by lakes and ponds, former coal mining site, Features more than 20 fishing lakes and a waterfowl refuge, Boating, Boat Launching Ramp, Boat Motors-10 Horsepower Limit, Canoe Access, Fishing, Hunting and Picnicking .

Newton Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area - Newton
In 1979 the Illinois Department of Natural Resources signed a 25-year lease with Central Illinois Public Service Company which designated the 1,775 acre Newton Lake and 540 acres of shoreline as a day use conservation area. By agreement, recreational activities in the area consist of fishing, picnicking, trail use and deer hunting.

Sam Parr State Fish & Wildlife Area - Newton
For several decades the residents of Jasper County worked for a state park, assisted and encouraged by a former resident and conservationist, Sam Parr. In 1960, 72 acres of land were acquired by the Department of Natural Resources and the Jasper County Conservation Area became a reality. Additional acquisitions have brought the total acreage to 1,180, including a 183-acre lake.

Niles Historical Museum - Niles
Welcome to the Niles Historical Society and Niles Historical Museum website. The Historical Society was chartered in 1971 and the Museum it sponsors is open year-round with no cost for admission.

Children's Discovery Museum - Normal
Visit the Children's Discovery Museum located in uptown Normal, Illinois. Explore, imagine, create and play with three floors of amazing hands-on exhibits

Graue Mill - Oak Brook
One summer morning in 1852, Fred Graue entered his mill and turned the wheel that opened the sluice gates outside. Water from Salt Creek rushed into the millrace and the wooden waterwheel began to turn for the first time. It would turn the machinery that would grind grain for the next seventy years. Today, Graue Mill is the only operating waterwheel gristmill in Illinois.

Children's Museum in Oak Lawn - Oak Lawn
The Children’s Museum in Oak Lawn has eight interactive exhibits geared for ages 2 to 10 including a puppet theater, a market, a water table and periscopes. There is an "Art Cart" on hand where children can create their own kite and watch it fly around the museum and different themed craft projects each week. Located in a beautiful park setting, there is an outdoor playground and a nearby lake with a "catch and release" fishing program.

Wonder Works - Oak Park
This Childrens' Museum has 6,400 square feet of fun and exploration for kids up to age 10.

Ernest Hemingway Birthplace and Museum - Oak Park
Explore displays featuring rare photographs of Hemingway, his childhood diary, letters, early writings and other memorabilia. Exhibits and videos at the Museum focus on his first 20 years in Oak Park, and its impact on his later works. - The Ernest Hemingway Foundation of Oak Park operates the Hemingway Museum and the Hemingway Birthplace Home.

Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio - Oak Park
The Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio (1889/1898) served as Wright's private residence and workplace from 1889 to 1909 - the first 20 years of his career. Wright used his home as an architectural laboratory, experimenting with design concepts that contain the seeds of his architectural philosophy. Here he raised six children with his first wife, Catherine Tobin. In 1898, Wright added a studio, described by a fellow-architect as a workplace with "inspiration everywhere." In the Studio, Wright and his associates developed a new American architecture: the Prairie style, and designed 125 structures, including such famous buildings as the Robie House, the Larkin Building and Unity Temple. We invite you to visit and experience the restored site as it appeared in 1909, the last year that Wright lived in the Home and worked in the Studio.

Historic Pleasant Home - Oak Park
The Pleasant Home, also known as the John Farson House, is one of the nation's most architecturally significant villages. Pleasant Home is an architectural treasure designed in 1897 by noted Prairie Style architect George W. Maher for investment banker and philanthropist John W. Farson. Pleasant Home is one of the earliest and most distinguished examples of the Prairie School of architecture.

Walnut Point State Park - Oakland
With its woods, water and wildlife, Walnut Point State Park in east-central Illinois has it all - from fishing, hunting and camping to hiking, picnicking and cross-country skiing. Conveniently located within a few miles of Interstate 57, U.S. Highway 36 and Illinois Route 133, the 671-acre site is 20 miles northeast of Charleston.

Kickapoo State Recreation Area - Oakwood
Where in Illinois can you go running or hiking, canoeing, fishing for trout, camping, hunting or scuba diving -- all against a backdrop of breathtaking natural beauty?

Middle Fork State Fish & Wildlife Area - Oakwood
The Middle Fork State Fish & Wildlife Area consists of 2,700 acres of grass, forest and cropland, and provides excellent wildlife habitat. The site received its name from the Middle Fork branch of the Vermilion River which flows between Kennekuk Cove County Park and Middle Fork State Fish & Wildlife Area. At Kickapoo you can enjoy family camping, picnicking, fishing boating, mountain biking and rent a horse for a short trail ride.

Okawville's Heritage House Museum - Okawville
The Heritage House Museum property, listed as the Frank Schlosser Complex, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983, joining the already-listed Original Mineral Springs Hotel and Bathhouse.

Delabar State Park - Oquawka
Located on the Mississippi River about 1 1/2 miles north of Oquawka near Illinois Route 164, Delabar State Park offers quality outdoor experiences for anglers, hikers, campers and picnickers. Many of the park’s 89 acres are forested with sturdy oaks, along with some birch and hickory trees. These forested areas serve as natural habitat for a variety of wildlife species, including squirrel, rabbit, raccoon, deer, groundhog and quail. More than 50 species of birds have been identified in the park, making Delabar State Park a natural haven for birders from throughout the state.

Castle Rock State Park - Oregon
Castle Rock State Park is located three miles south of Oregon, Illinois on Highway 2. The park is centrally located in the Rock River Hills region of Illinois, and its rolling topography is drained by the Rock River. The park is located along the west bank of the Rock River in Ogle County. The park is very representative of the Rock River Hills area with rock formations, ravines, and unique northern plant associations. A sandstone bluff, adjacent to the river, has given the park its name.

Lowden State Park - Oregon
One of the most picturesque sites along the Rock River is just north of Oregon in Ogle County. Legend has it that Chief Black Hawk, as he left the area after the Black Hawk War, talked of the beauty of the area and admonished his captors to care for the land as he and his people had. Lowden State Park was established not only to care for the land but to allow visitors to share in the beauty as well. The park serves as a memorial to Gov. Frank O. Lowden, who served Illinois during World War I.

Lowden-Miller State Forest - Oregon
The forest consists of 2,225 acres with excellent deer and turkey habitat.

Stuka Military Museum - Oregon
If you are interested in military history, you will enjoy a visit to the Stuka Military Museum. This museum features uniforms, helmets, swords, medals, patches and souvenirs from the past conflicts from the Civil War to Desert Storm. The museum is open year round by appointment.

Little White School Museum - Oswego
Holds the rich history of the community and reflects the spirit of its early residents. Built as a church in 1850, then used as a one-room school until the mid 1960's, the building is now preserved and maintained by a cooperative agreement between School District 308, the Oswegoland Park District, and the Oswegoland Heritage Association. Open to the public, the White School Museum is an archive of local Oswegoland history. Step in and take a step back in time.

Buffalo Rock State Park - Ottawa
Buffalo Rock State Park is located on a bluff which was once an island in the Illinois River. Now standing majestically on the north bank, this promontory affords a magnificent sweeping view of the Illinois River. Located approximately three miles west of Ottawa in LaSalle County, this 298 acre park has long been a favorite picnic area, as well as a nature lovers delight. The area of Buffalo Rock was the home of the Illinois Indians when Louis Jolliet, the French explorer, and the Jesuit missionary priest Father Jacques Marquette made their trip up the Illinois River in 1673. Later the Illinois Tribe was virtually annihilated in protracted warfare with the aggressive Iroquois.

Bicentennial Art Center & Museum - Paris
The Art Center, a non-profit organization, offers a full range of art activities and programs to the residents and artists of the region including exhibitions, classes and workshops, tours to other art centers and events, community outreach programs, and, scholarships for talented youth. The Art Center maintains a permanent collection, the nucleus of which are the paintings by Alice Baber, a native of Edgar County, who achieved international recognition in 1960's and 70's. Other collection pieces include paintings, drawings, prints, and three-dimensional pieces by artists with national and regional reputations.

1950s Park Forest House Museum - Park Forest
1950s Park Forest House Museum shows life in American suburbia in 1948-1953, and provides a home for the Park Forest Local History Collection and Archive, in a facility with paid staff and space for exhibits, research, and education. It is our goal to inspire the high level of community involvement which has contributed to the livability of Park Forest, and to help make the village a heritage tourism destination.

African American Hall of Fame Museum - Peoria
AAHFM is a vehicle to maintain and herald the contributions of African Americans. It's an educational museum visited by hundreds of school children and adults each year. The museum is expanding its permanent collections to include a comprehensive exhibit on the live and times of Peoria's famous native son, Richard Pryor. Exhibits, programs, lectures, poetry readings and other cultural events are periodically held to both enlighten and entertain the public.

Peoria Zoo - Peoria
Our Mission: Create connections that inspire an appreciation for the natural world.

Lakeview Museum of Arts and Science - Peoria
The Discovery Center is an area for children of all ages to enjoy hands-on art & science exhibits. The area features more than 30 different displays to challenge and delight the mind, including the mineral house, the cloud ring, the duck-in kaleidoscope, shadow walls, the ever-popular pin wall, and much more.

Lincoln's New Salem State Historic Site - Petersburg
Step back in time 150 years and see Lincoln's New Salem the way it looked when Abraham Lincoln was a young adult. Whether you are coming for the day or to stay an entire week, get to to know Lincoln's New Salem before you actually arrive. See authentic blacksmiths and railsplitter. Stop by our country store and browse the handmade items. If you get a craving for something to eat, visit our full service restaurant. Join us for a walk in the woods or for a performance at the Theatre in the Park
Virtual field trip online

Pyramid State Recreation Area - Pinckneyville
Pyramid State Recreation Area consists of heavily forested hills and many lakes and ponds. Southern Illinois University formerly owned and used 924 acres for research. In 1968, Pyramid became a State Recreation Area, and at this time received the 924 acres from Southern Illinois University. Additional land acquisition, and the latest acquisition of the Arch Mineral Properties, and the purchase of the Satellite area known as Campbell Pond consisting of 520 acres brings the total overall acreage to 19,701 making Pyramid the largest State Recreation Area in Illinois and gets its name from a coal mine that once existed here.

Beaver Dam State Park - Plainview
Located in Macoupin County 7 miles southwest of Carlinville and situated in an oak/hickory woodland, Beaver Dam State Park offers a variety of recreational opportunities on its 750 acres. Fishing, picnicking, hiking, and tent and trailer camping are among the most popular activities. Although the beaver is virtually gone from this area, the park is named for a beaver dam that created its lake.

Livingston County War Museum - Pontiac
Come visit our displays from World War I to the present. We are staffed by veterans and are located in the Old City Hall building next to the Route 66 Museum in beautiful downtown Pontiac.

Bureau County Historical Society - Princeton
The Bureau County Historical Society Museum consists of two buildings that are next door to each other: the Clark-Norris Home, a handsome Prairie Square mansion built in 1900, and the Newell-Bryant House, a stately Greek Revival house dating back to 1853.

Prophetstown State Recreation Area - Prophetstown
Prophetstown State Park, on the northeast edge of the city along the south bank of the Rock River in Whiteside County, is a scenic and historic area offering a variety of recreational facilities. Once the site of an American Indian village, the 53-acre park derives its name from the Native American prophet Wa-bo-kie-shiek.

Gardner Museum - Quincy
The mission of the Gardner Museum of Architecture & Design is to foster an increased awareness and appreciation of the architectural and design heritage of Quincy, the Upper Mississippi Valley, and the United States while exploring influence and impact of national events on its development. This purpose is fulfilled by preserving and interpreting that heritage through research and preservation activity, the maintenance of document and artifact collections, and the development and presentation of exhibits and public educational programs.

Quincy Art Center - Quincy
A museum celebrating visual arts, is set in the beautiful Historical District of Quincy, Illinois where avenues are bordered by arching trees. Since 1923, the Quincy Art Center has focused its energies promoting the growth and appreciation of the visual arts in Quincy and the surrounding areas by hosting art exhibits of local and world-renowned artists and providing educational programs for the communities it serves.

Villa Katherine Castle - Quincy
Just south of Warsaw on the Mississippi there stands a Moorish castle. Inside, ornate wooden lattice work twists shadows up the walls of a narrow stairway. Railings, doors, windows, ceilings, all are beautifully carved. It is as if you stepped into a rich merchant's home in northern Africa but there is no furniture. George Metz, rich playboy and world traveler of the late 1800s, built the castle for his sweetheart who died before its completion. Rumor also has it that Metz buried his pet dog Bingo with a big cache of gold somewhere on the property. Numerous attempts to exhume Bingo prove fruitless.

Ramsey Lake State Recreation Area - Ramsey
Rolling hills, timbered shoreline, and beautiful Ramsey Lake make this state recreation area a unique and popular recreation spot. Visitors will enjoy the picturesque woods, secluded picnic areas and excellent fishing and hunting opportunities. Ramsey Lake State Recreation Area is the perfect place for people who want to relax or for those energetic outdoor types who want to hike, hunt, fish or camp. The park is located one mile northwest of Ramsey in Fayette County.

Octave Chanute Air Museum - Rantoul
The Chanute Air Museum collects, preserves, exhibits and interprets aviation and aerospace artifacts that relate to the life and accomplishments of Octave Chanute, Chanute Field/Chanute Air Force Base and its technical training programs, the history of military aviation and Illinois aviation. Largest aerospace museum in Illinois!

The Riverside ARTS Center - Riverside
We offer over thirty art classes each term (Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall) for children and adults in mediums ranging from clay, to oil painting, to fused glass jewelry, to printmaking. The RAC also offers provide tours, field trips, and curricula-based workshops for public and private schools and professional development opportunities for teachers.

Sangchris Lake State Park - Rochester
Located minutes east of Springfield and its Lincoln attractions, Sangchris Lake serves as a perfect home base for enjoying outdoor activities in central Illinois. Whether you're interested in fishing, boating, camping, hunting or family gatherings, Sangchris Lake provides an abundance of recreational opportunities amid native forests of oak, maple, butternut and persimmon.

Burpee Museum of Natural History - Rockford
Burpee Museum is the perfect destination for a focused field trip—not so large as to be intimidating but with enough to satisfy any enquiring mind!

Discovery Center Museum - Rockford
The amazing Discovery Center Museum is full of over 250 exciting hands-on exhibits spread over a two-floor area. Out in the museum's backyard, visitors can explore Rock River Discovery Park, a giant, multi-level science park with a hands-on twist! The museum also hosts traveling exhibits, special events and programs throughout the year.

Erlander Home Museum - Rockford
The Erlander Home Museum is a cultural centerpiece of Rockford's Swedish ancestry community,and a major asset of the Society. The Museum is located within the home which was built for John Erlander and his family in 1871, within the historic Haight Village of Rockford.

Ethnic Heritage Museum - Rockford
Local history lives on in a quaint home built in 1850 and known today as The Ethnic Heritage Museum . Here, you will find six fascinating galleries devoted to the primary immigrant groups that settled in southwest Rockford, IL. African-American, Hispanic, Irish, Italian, Lithuanian and Polish. Through displays of early Rockford's maps, everyday artifacts, vintage clothing and more, visitors of all ages can learn about Old Worldcustoms and traditions. Historical photographs tell the stories of the earliest settlers who established factories near the old "waterpower district" and built their homes nearby. By comparing early with current lifestyles, the museum strives to bridge the gap between yesterday and today ... encouraging visitors to relive the past with a clear focus on Rockford'sbright future.

Midway Village Museum - Rockford
Find Your Place in History! Midway Village Museum is a 136-acre campus conveniently located near I-90 yet comfortably nestled among the trees to give visitors the step-back-in-time experience. The museum is a Victorian Village (1890 to 1910) of 24 historical buildings filled with artifacts of the era as well as several beautiful 19th century gardens. Interpreters in authentic period dress are available seasonally for guided tours.

Riverfront Museum Park - Rockford
A one-stop destination in Rockford for the arts and sciences.

Rockford Art Museum - Rockford
A Partner in Excellence of the Illinois Arts Council, Rockford Art Museum impacts the quality of life for people of all ages through visual arts programs of collection, exhibition and education. From its beginnings as the Rockford Sketch Club in 1888, to incorporation as the Rockford Art Association in 1913, RAM boasts a rich history that reflects the past, present and future of the Rockford region.

Swedish Historical Society - Rockford
The Swedish Historical Society is organized exclusively for historical, educational, and charitable purposes. In harmony with this purpose is the operation of the Erlander Home Museum and the preservation of Swedish-American history and culture of Rockford through such activities as the conservation of artifacts, museum displays and educational programs. The Society offers through it's Swedish speaking members, Swedish translation services and Swedish language instruction to help those wishing to travel to Sweden or to communicate with Swedish friends and relatives by phone or in writing. Contact the Executive Director for more information on these services and watch this web site for announcements for Swedish language classes.

Tinker Swiss Cottage Museum - Rockford
An educational, not-for-profit institution, dedicated to the preservation of and access to historic Tinker Swiss Cottage, its collections, and the legacy of the Robert

Isle A La Cache Museum - Romeoville
Isle a la Cache Museum has been completely renovated and reopened in June 2007. All new exhibits, many of them interactive, an enlarged display area, and enhanced native landscaping around the museum make for a totally new experience for museum visitors.

Historic Auto Attractions - Roscoe
Take a journey through time where history and entertainment meet. Enjoy more than 70 historic vehicles and hundreds of pieces of history that take you beyond the concept of most auto museums. Travel from the old west days to the days of Al Capone and Bonnie & Clyde to TV land, legends of racing, famous cars & famous stars, and more. You will be amazed at this collection of historical facts and memorabilia. You will be transported to the day President Kennedy was assassinated. See the chair that President Lincoln sat in his famous portrait, the dress worn by Marilyn Monroe, the 1976 Bicentennial money car & Johnny Cash?s 'One Piece At A Time Car', Batmobiles, Charlie?s Angles, Sanford & Son, Flintstone?s and more
Virtual field trip online

Donald E. Stephens Museum of Hummels - Rosemont

Schuyler County Historical Jail Museum and Genealogical Center - Rushville
The Schuyler Jail Museum houses artifacts of the history of Rushville and Schuyler County. A research library for genealogists is part of the museum.

Saline County Museum Directory - Saline County
Gateway to the Shawnee National Forest - Area Musuems.

Mississippi Palisades State Park - Savanna
The Native American pathfinders along the rock palisades of the Mississippi River did as present-day hikers do - in coursing the bluffs, they took the paths of least resistance. The trails at the Mississippi Palisades, especially the park’s southern routes, puts you in touch with the past. Walk them and you’ll trace the footsteps of all those who came before you, some of whom came this way nearly a thousand years ago.

Hennepin Canal State Trail - Sheffield
Want a peaceful, relaxing day of picnicking, hiking, fishing and good old fashioned family fun? Hennepin Canal Parkway State Park is just the place you're looking for. Spend the day and bring a picnic lunch along. There are plenty of picnic tables at the 104.5-mile linear park which spans five counties (Rock Island, Bureau, Henry, Lee and Whiteside).

Mautino State Fish and Wildlife Area - Sheffield
911 acres of mostly unclaimed stripmining land, 15 stocked lakes for fishing, Boating, Boat Launching Ramp, Electric trolling boat motors only, Canoe Access, Fishing, and Hiking

Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center - Skokie
The Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center is a project of the Holocaust Memorial Foundation of Illinois. This new world-class museum is dedicated to preserving the memories of those lost in the Holocaust and teaching current generations about the need to fight hatred, indifference and genocide in today’s world.

Midwest Carvers Museum - South Holland
View more than 1,000 unique woodcarvings crafted by local and international artists.

World Shooting & Recreational Complex - Sparta
Designed for Shooters, Built for Recreation! This unique site is located in Southern Illinois near the city of Sparta, near three airports and less than 50 miles from three metropolitan areas including St. Louis, MO. Visitors will have access to a variety of amenities from quaint local restaurants and shops to the bustling activities of the St. Louis area.

Chain O'Lakes State Park - Spring Grove
Chain O Lakes State Park is a water oriented recreation area with outstanding opportunities for boaters, anglers and skiers. The park borders three natural lakes - Grass, Marie and Nippersink - and the Fox River that connects the other seven lakes (Bluff, Fox, Pistakee, Channel, Petite, Catherine and Redhead) that make up the Chain. In addition, the park contains a 44-acre lake within its boundaries.

Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum - Springfield
Educational opportunities for learners of all ages to explore Illinois and U.S. History and the legacy of Abraham Lincoln, through the museum and library collections. Visit the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.

Grand Army of the Republic Memorial Museum - Springfield
The Grand Army of the Republic was founded in Springfield and the museum is full of Civil War memorabilia. Included are tintypes by Civil War photographer Matthew Brady, donated to the National Woman's Relief Corps in tribute to the Union veterans of the War Between the States.

Henson Robinson Zoo - Springfield
The zoo is home to more than 300 animals native to Australia, Africa, Asia and North and South America. Over 90 species of native and exotic animals are housed here among naturalistic exhibits. The zoo participates in scientific research studies and conservation efforts in addition to providing a fun and educational environment for people of all ages.

Illinois State Historical Society - Springfield
The mission of the Society is to foster awareness, understanding, research, preservation, and recognition of history in Illinois.

Illinois State Museum - Springfield
Illinois State Museum promotes discovery, learning, and an appreciation of Illinois’ natural, cultural, and artistic heritage. 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. The Illinois State Museum is headquartered in Springfield with branch facilities throughout the state.

Springfield Children's Museum - Springfield
Located downtown, the center features a variety of exhibits on art, architecture, health, medicine, history, nature, and sciences in a hands-on environment.

Lincoln Home National Historic Site - Springfield,
There are a variety of visitor activities available at Lincoln Home National Historic Site. Free Ranger led tours of the Lincoln Home are the central feature of the site. The Visitor Center offers orientation and interpretive films. Exhibits are located within the neighborhood. Stroll through the four-block historic area to see some houses in the Lincoln neighborhood.
Virtual field trip online

St. Charles History Museum - St. Charles
The St. Charles History Museum offers exhibits on St. Charles and St. Charles Township history. The museum features a timeline of important St. Charles events that have taken place from 1833 until the present. Featured are military service (Civil War through Vietnam War) grave robbing riot, education, millionaires, industry, agriculture and tourism in the Roaring Twenties. The museum is located in the historic McCornack Oil Company building constructed in 1928.

Italian Cultural Center - Stone Park
The Center began modestly in Stone Park, Illinois in May, 1970. - The original Seminary building facilities, which were left vacant after construction of the new wing on Division Street, were used initially by Father August Feccia to create a library, art gallery and meeting space.

Hidden Springs State Forest - Strasburg
The name Hidden Springs was selected to designate this particular state forest because of the seven known springs on the property which were used for drinking water by the early settlers. Over the years these springs have been covered over by natural siltation and vegetation (hence the name "Hidden Springs"). Rocky Spring and Quicksand Spring have access trails.

Air Classics Museum of Aviation - Sugar Grove
Air Classics is an aviation museum located at Aurora Municipal Airport - ARR where the aircraft actually fly. You can sit in an A-7 that flew in the Gulf War and climb into the pilot's seat of a UH-1 Huey helicopter. The museum's collection includes aircraft, vehicles, uniforms and other aviation memorabilia from the 1930s to the present time.

Red Hills State Park - Sumner
For wildflowers, fresh foliage and soothing breezes in the spring...picnicking, camping, hiking, boating and fishing in the summer...appreciating the brilliant hues of autumn's colorful plumage...or ice skating and ice fishing in the brisk, blue winter...Red Hills State Park is waiting for you.

Kaskaskia River State Fish & Wildlife Area - The Kaskaskia River State Fish & Wildlife Area (KRFWA) is one of the largest state-owned and managed sites in Illinois. Located 35 miles southeast of St. Louis, Missouri, the area comprises more than 20,000 acres and extends along the Kaskaskia River from
The Kaskaskia River State Fish & Wildlife Area (KRFWA) is one of the largest state-owned and managed sites in Illinois. Located 35 miles southeast of St. Louis, Missouri, the area comprises more than 20,000 acres and extends along the Kaskaskia River from Fayetteville to the Mississippi River in St. Clair, Monroe, and Randolph counties. The Illinois Department of Transportation owns the land along the river and leases most of the land to the Department of Natural Resources to manage for fish, wildlife, and other recreational activities.

Korean War National Museum - Tuscola
Showcasing the tremendous sacrifices made by the men and women who served in Korea were not in vain. Thanks to their efforts, South Korea now boasts the 10th largest economy in the world and is a bastion of democracy. Perhaps most importantly, the new Museum will serve as a lasting reminder that it was the Korean War that first stopped the advance of communism.

Illinois Railway Museum - Union
America's largest railway museum!

McHenry County Historical Society - Union
Not only will you be able to go back in time & meet the Patricks (and their servants), you’ll be able to go many places in Marengo and even Chicago. Catch "bicycle fever," find out who came to the Marengo Opera House and take a trip to the World’s Columbian Exposition. Find out what life was like in the "Gay ‘1890’s" and enjoy your trip back in time.

Shabbona Lake State Recreation Area - ust miles west of Chicago, off U.S. 30, urban sprawl gives way to 1,550 acres of rolling prairie and features a 318.8 acre man-made fishing lake. Shabbona Lake State Recreation Area provides a convenient, natural haven from the hustle and bustle of daily
Just miles west of Chicago, off U.S. 30, urban sprawl gives way to 1,550 acres of rolling prairie and features a 318.8 acre man-made fishing lake. Shabbona Lake State Recreation Area provides a convenient, natural haven from the hustle and bustle of daily life.

Matthiessen State Park - Utica
Canyons, streams, prairie and forest combine to delight visitors at Matthiessen State Park. Located in central LaSalle County, approximately four miles south of Utica and three miles east of Oglesby, Matthiessen is a paradise for those interested in geology as well as recreation. Visitors can expect to see beautiful rock formations in addition to unusual and abundant vegetation and wildlife. All of this, along with park and picnic facilities, make Matthiessen State Park a popular choice for a special outing.

Starved Rock State Park - Utica
Experience the fun of outdoor adventure at Starved Rock State Park. Whether you enjoy hiking along the nature trails or viewing the many spectacular overlooks along the Illinois River, recreational opportunities abound. From picnicking to fishing to boating, from horseback riding to camping to enjoying winter sports, there’s so much to do that you’ll come back again and again.

Carlyle Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area - Vandalia
Carlyle Lake is a 26,000-acre multipurpose lake administered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The Department of Natural Resources has a 25-year lease on part of the Army Corps' property to conduct a variety of habitat management measures aimed at increasing food, shelter and nesting areas for numerous wildlife species.

Fayette County Museum - Vandalia
The Museum is housed in the old Presbyterian Church, built in 1867 and on The National Register of Historical Places. The significance of the building is both historical and architectural in nature. - The building has been the home of the Fayette County Museum since 1979.

Cuneo Museum - Vernon Hills
Built as a private residence, the Cuneo mansion is now a historic house museum, which is really many museums blended into one. As a "living museum," the building and gardens preserve in vivid detail the flavor of an era and a way of life. The grand spaces of the Venetian style architecture, filled with antique furnishings and artwork and the quiet paths through the manicured grounds allow the visitor to savor the elegant splendor of the "gilded age." The Cuneo mansion is one of the few surviving manor homes from the early 20th century settlement of gentleman farmers in the fields south of Libertyville, which included Joseph Medill Patterson of the Tribune and Adlai Stevenson, the presidential candidate. Now surrounded by busy suburban development, the museum is a magnificent relic of the domestic opulence and rustic retreat of that former period.

Snakeden Hollow State Fish & Wildlife Area - Victoria
Although the name Snakeden Hollow State Fish and Wildlife Area is rather intimidating, there are no more snakes here than in other areas of the state. Actually the site is the namesake of a small creek that “snakes” its way through the property.

Tunnel Hill State Trail - Vienna
Tunnel Hill State Trail stretches for 45 miles from Harrisburg to Karnak, with 2.5 miles being managed by the city of Harrisburg. The trail continues on a trails spur for 2.5 miles from Karnak to Cache River State Natural Area - Henry Barkhausen Wetlands Center on the old Chicago and Eastern Illinois railroad bed.

Villa Park Historical Society - Villa Park
PASSPORT TO ADVENTURE This summer the Villa Park Historical Society will again participate in the “Passport To Adventure Program” for children ages 4 to 12. “Passport Books” will be (free of charge) at our Museum, and at various other area museums,nature centers, etc. Each museum or nature center has a page in the books with a space for a “passport stamp” The program is designed to encourage children and their families to visit various locations.

Warrenville Historical Museum - Warrenville
The purpose of the Warrenville Historical Society is to bring together those interested in Warrenville's history, and to collect, preserve and display objects and documents that illustrate that history. The Warrenville Historical Society was organized in 1980 and the Society opened the Warrenville Historical Museum in 1984. Space was provided for the Museum in one room of the Greek Revival Style Albright Building through the generosity of the City of Warrenville, interest groups, businesses and individuals. The museum now encompassed the entire building.

Illinois Caverns State Natural Area - Waterloo
The natural beauty that characterizes Illinois is more than skin deep, some of the state's most significant and scenic wonders lie far beneath the surface -- in Illinois caves. With more than 100 recorded caves, Monroe County has more caves than any other county in Illinois.

Waukegan Historical Society - Waukegan
The Waukegan Historical Society operates the Haines House Museum and the John L. Raymond Research Library, both located amidst the gentle rolling landscape of Bowen Park in far northeastern Illinois. Whether you are coming to view the Victorian decor, an exhibit on Waukegan history, or researching the history of your house or family, you will find that the Waukegan Historical Society offers something for everyone.

Cosley Zoo - Wheaton
Situated on five acres, dotted with ponds, this nationally recognized zoo offers an intimate experience with a large variety of domestic farm animals and native Illinois wildlife. Pathways welcome you, creating accessibility throughout the zoo. A stroll through the barn gives visitors an opportunity to encounter a rare American Cream Draft Horse, wooly llamas, playful goats and a host of other animals. Discover wildlife exhibits, with their shady expanses, immersing you in natural habitats for White-tailed Deer, Red Fox, Three-toed Box Turtle, Black-crowned Night Heron and a collection of other animals. While the animals are the main attraction, the zoo also features a historical train station, a railroad caboose, a tree-lined picnic area, a unique gift shop and a seasonal concession stand. Throughout the year, we offer a wide variety of educational programs,special events and opportunities to become involved with the zoo and its animals.

Kline Creek Farm - Wheaton
Step back in time and experience what life was like on a DuPage County Farm in the 1890s. Stroll through restored farmstead structures and meet the historically-costumed interpreters operating this living-history farm using the tools and techniques of the past. Activities and events at the farm re-create the seasonal rhythms that have governed farm life for centuries. There is always something to see, do and learn at Kline Creek Farm.

White Hall Civil War Days - White Hall
5th Annual White Hall Civil War Days "Our Battle of Shiloh" School day on Friday, battles on Saturday and Sunday. Spectators can stroll the camps and see period activities. Saturday morning Ladies Tea and our favorite event: blowing up the outhouse! Great Ball on Saturdy evening with refreshments and period music. Sutlers and reenactors contact us for more info. Come have a great time! October. Check website for details!

Wayne Fitzgerrell State Recreation Area - Whittington
People interested in water sports, horseback riding, picnicking or hiking will find that Wayne Fitzgerrell has plenty to offer. The site also provides ample opportunities for birders, wildlife observers and photographers, fishing tournaments, pleasure boaters, water skiers and anglers.

Wilmette Historical Museum - Wilmette
Dedicated to exploring, preserving, and sharing the lively history of Wilmette and its surroundings on the North Shore of Chicago. Located in a beautiful 1896 landmark building at 609 Ridge Road in Wilmette, the Museum is operated by the Wilmette Historical Society, a volunteer organization, and by the Village of Wilmette.

Des Plaines Fish & Wildlife Area - Wilmington
A tranquil setting, flowing rivers, and natural prairie land -- the Des Plaines Fish and Wildlife Area has it all! Visitors will delight in the abundance of wildlife, restful picnic areas and variety of sportfishing species. Farmland and woodland, prairie and swamp, still water and shoreline offer unlimited opportunities for nature lovers and sportsmen.

Wolf Creek State Park - Windsor
In east central Illinois-just minutes from Springfield, Decatur, Champaign, Effingham and surrounding communities - the Wolf Creek/Eagle Creek sites, facing each other across the central portion of Lake Shelbyville, provide the perfect setting for outdoor recreation and natural relaxation for a day, a weekend, or even longer.

Winnetka Historical Society - Winnetka
Winnetka Historical Society was founded in 1932. As we embark on the 21st century, we are pleased to own and operate two historic buildings in Winnetka. Our Museum and headquarters at 411 Linden Street houses gallery space and is open for research, using our reference library, photograph collections and house files. The Schmidt-Burnham Log House offers visitors a glimpse of life in the 1850s through the interpretation of costumed docents.

North Point Marina - Winthrop Harbor
Quiet, serene and safe, North Point Marina offers the relaxation you expect and the nurturing you need in a natural and lush recreational setting.

Chester Gould-Dick Tracy Museum - Woodstock
A non-profit organization established to display, promote and honor the work, achievements and the life of Chester Gould (1900-1985), creator of the "Dick Tracy" comic strip and character. The museum perpetuates the legacy of Dick Tracy and the heritage of the comic strip, and Crimestoppers, through the development of the "Crimestoppers Youth Program," developed in 2000.

Rock Island State Trail - Wyoming
Beauty and solitude, away from the hustle and bustle of city traffic, await visitors at Rock Island Trail State Park. Stretching for 26 miles from Alta, in Peoria County, to Toulon, in Stark County, the park offers many natural and architectural attractions in a tree-canopied corridor that is only 50 to 100 feet wide.

Silver Springs State Fish and Wildlife Area - Yorkville
A pool of clear bubbling water which sparkles like silver on sunny days provides the basis for the name of Silver Springs State Fish and Wildlife Area. Even on extremely cold days, this pool does not freeze, and visitors marvel at the bordering beds of watercress. Majestic oaks and prairie grasslands provide a panorama of natural beauty to park visitors. The Fox River runs through this picturesque area which is also home to several small manmade lakes. A natural prairie restoration project gives visitors a feeling of the original landscape with native wildflowers, songbirds, waterfowl and upland game. Picnicking, fishing and hiking are popular pastimes in summer, with ice fishing, sledding, ice skating and cross-country ski trails available for the winter sports lover. For relaxing, exercising or just enjoying nature, Silver Springs is the perfect get away location.

Adeline Jay Geo-Karis Illinois Beach State Park - Zion
A full range of recreation opportunities complement the expansive shoreline of Illinois Beach State Park. Interested in jogging and bicycling? The trails are waiting! Or, is physical fitness your current pursuit? Whether you're an active outdoor enthusiast or just interested in a quiet walk along some of the Midwest's most scenic beaches, this is the place for you!

Platen Press Museum - Zion
A working museum dedicated to preserving the arts of hot metal casting and composition, letterpress, multigraphing, stone lithography and bookbinding.