Illinois State Museum-Dickson Mounds

10/08/2026

Be sure to join us this Saturday, October 10, at 2:00 p.m. for Kid's Crafter-noon!

Spend time making fun arts and crafts at the Museum! A variety of supplies and materials will be available for kids to create pieces of their liking to take home. All ages are welcome with adult supervision.

This program is held on the second Saturday of each month from 2:00-3:30 p.m. Admission is free and registration is not required.

09/30/2026

Updates Ahead!

Thanks to the generosity of the Illinois State Museum and Morton Community Foundation, we are doing a three phased renovation of our children’s area! The new children’s area will consist of three distinct spaces for kids of all ages to learn and play. This includes: A literacy center, sensory room, and new main children’s center with learning stations. As with all good things, we have a bit of work ahead of us, so today the main discovery center area will be closed while we work on renovations. It will reopen tomorrow October 1st, 2026. In the meantime, stop by and check out our in progress literacy center! Stocked full of books and bean bags, this is a great space to cozy up and spend some time at the museum on a rainy day.

Stay tuned for more updates as renovations continue!

09/29/2026

Join us this Thursday, October 1 at 9:30 a.m. for Tot Time!

This month’s program is all about pumpkins! This important crop has been grown here in Illinois for thousands of years and still plays an important role in our lives today. Tots and caretakers, expect to enjoy hands-on activities and crafts to take home!

The program will begin at 9:30 a.m. and is free. Registration is not required. However, groups of 8 or more are encouraged to call the Museum at 309-547-3721 prior to the program date to ensure the availability of supplies. Participants are welcome to enjoy the Museum exhibits after the program.

09/10/2026

Be sure to join us this Saturday, September 12, at 2:00 p.m. for Kid's Crafter-noon!

Spend time making fun arts and crafts at the Museum! A variety of supplies and materials will be available for kids to create pieces of their liking to take home. All ages are welcome with adult supervision.

This program is held on the second Saturday of each month from 2:00-3:30 p.m. Admission is free and registration is not required.

09/10/2026

🦋 They’re Heeee-reee! 🦋

We are in the middle of the Monarch migration, and Dickson Mounds has started seeing an increase in monarch butterflies on the grounds! Check out his brilliant example of the caterpillar stage of the monarch life cycle. They love snacking on milkweed and we have quite a bit out on the prairie. Ready to have your own discovery of these beautiful creatures? Head on down to the prairie trails on the grounds at the museum and see what you find-grounds open dawn to dusk.

Photo Credit: Doris Bailey

09/09/2026

Join us this Saturday, September 12, at the Illinois State Fairgrounds for a fun event celebrating the Monarch Butterfly! This free family event will feature fun activities, games, and more! We hope to see you there!

09/01/2026

Join us this Thursday, September 3 at 9:30 a.m. for Tot Time!

This month’s program is all about the importance of art, presented by ISM’s Curator of Art and History Education, Cori Claycomb! What does art mean? Art can bring to the surface a variety of different feelings and that’s ok! In fact, art can be a great way to express ourselves and how we feel. Join us as we learn about how creating and viewing art can help us express our emotions and build connection with other people. Tots and caretakers, expect to enjoy hands-on activities and crafts to take home!

The program will begin at 9:30 a.m. and is free. Registration is not required. However, groups of 8 or more are encouraged to call the Museum at 309-547-3721 prior to the program date to ensure the availability of supplies. Participants are welcome to enjoy the Museum exhibits after the program.

08/07/2026

Be sure to join us this Saturday, August 8, at 2:00 p.m. for Kid's Crafter-noon!

Spend time making fun arts and crafts at the Museum! A variety of supplies and materials will be available for kids to create pieces of their liking to take home. All ages are welcome with adult supervision.

This program is held on the second Saturday of each month from 2:00-3:30 p.m. Admission is free and registration is not required.

06/12/2026

Be sure to join us this Saturday, June 13, at 2:00 p.m. for Kid's Crafter-noon!

Spend time making fun arts and crafts at the Museum! A variety of supplies and materials will be available for kids to create pieces of their liking to take home. All ages are welcome with adult supervision.

This program is held on the second Saturday of each month from 2:00-3:30 p.m. Admission is free and registration is not required.

06/03/2026

Our Picnic Hill road, parking lot and pavilion are currently temporarily closed to the public. We will update this post when it is open again.

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