Kidzeum of Health and Science

08/28/2026

A water main break has left the museum without running water. Without water we can't safely open our doors, so we may not be able to open tomorrow, Friday, August 28.

Please watch our Facebook for updates. We'll post as soon as we know whether we're able to open.

Thank you for your patience.

08/26/2026

We were so happy to welcome Compass for Kids for a day of exploring, learning, and PLAY! Thanks for spending part of your summer with us. We hope you left with a few new discoveries and plenty of stories to tell. ✨

08/24/2026

Here’s to big questions, brave ideas, new friendships, and so much learning ahead.

Wishing all of our students, teachers, school staff, and families a safe, happy, and curiosity-filled first day of the 2026–2027 school year!

💙 Your friends at Kidzeum

Reminder that our fall hours begin today: Wednesday - Sunday 9AM - 4PM.

Springfield Public Schools - District 186

08/21/2026

Meet the nominees for the very first For the Kids Awards!

The For the Kids Awards is a brand new Kidzeum event celebrating the people in our community who go above and beyond for children. This fall, Springfield nominated 24 of them. Teachers, nurses, coaches, volunteers, advocates, and founders, each one proof of what it looks like to show up for kids.

Congratulations to our 2026 nominees:

Dr. Aida Adlimoghaddam
Assistant Professor, Department of Neurology, SIU School of Medicine

Lydia Auble
Student & Youth Volunteer, Lincoln Land Community College

Candice Bacon
Family & Community Engagement Liaison, Dubois Elementary School

Ashanti Beler, MSN, RN
School Nurse, Jane Addams Elementary School

Melissa Blankestyn
Volunteer Services Coordinator, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum

Dr. Gregory Brandt
Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, Hematology & Oncology, SIU School of Medicine

Detective Timara Craven
Springfield Police Department

Amanda DeFord
Family and Community Engagement Specialist, Birth to Five Illinois

Katryce Dent
Early Childhood Educator

Ashley Earles
Regional Council Manager, Birth to Five Illinois

Dylan Flowers
Manager of Youth Leadership and Development Programs, Springfield Urban League

Ashlynn Frey
Education Assistant, Springfield Art Association

Taryn Grant
Founder & Executive Director, Springfield Youth Performance Group

Melissa Hostetter
Science Teacher & Literacy Advocate, Franklin Middle School

Shelly Kinner
Volunteer & Special Events Manager, Compass for Kids

Natalie Mitchell
Behavior Support Systems Strategist, Springfield District 186

Sarah Oglesby
Chief Operating Officer, Compass for Kids

Melissa Fisher Paoni, Ph.D.
Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Springfield Psychological Center

Ali Peden-Stade
Founder & Executive Director, Journey Like June Foundation

Lucy Schmadeke
Student & Community Leader, Springfield High School

Judge Karen Tharp
Associate Judge, 7th Judicial Circuit

David Wallman
Head Coach, Boys & Girls Cross Country, Springfield Christian School

Amber Walters
Early Childhood & Family Engagement Advocate

Vyvyan Wesley
Assistant Director of Discovery & Success, University of Illinois Springfield

Take a minute to scroll through and leave them some love in the comments. They've earned it.

Winners will be announced at the For the Kids Awards Dinner on September 10 at The Inn at 835, benefiting Kidzeum of Health and Science. Our inaugural dinner sold out, which tells us everything about how much this community loves its kids. Thank you, Springfield. If you missed out this time, we can't wait to welcome even more of you next year.

More info at FortheKidsAwards.org

SIU Medicine
Lincoln Land Community College
Springfield Public Schools - District 186
Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum Springfield Urban League Inc.
Compass for Kids
Springfield Art Association
Springfield Youth Performance Group
Journey Like June Foundation
University of Illinois Springfield
Springfield Police Department - Illinois
Birth to Five Illinois: Region 51
Springfield Psychological Center
The Inn at 835

08/20/2026

Today, we get to thank Jane Ford 💙

"STEAM education enhances the lives of today's youth, ensuring a knowledgeable and caring community in the future."

Jane spent 24 years as a Springfield teacher, so she knows exactly what happens when a child's curiosity gets room to grow. Her Foundational Gift carries that life's work forward, helping build the Center for STEAM Education, where the next generation of curious minds will ask their questions, build their ideas, and grow into the caring community she believes in.

Once a teacher, always a teacher. Thank you, Jane. 💙

08/18/2026

We’re incredibly proud to see Kidzeum Board Member Dr. Kami Harless helping bring a new kind of care to our community!

Dr. Harless helped launch SIU Medicine’s new street medicine program, a four-person team bringing healthcare directly to people experiencing homelessness in Springfield. The approach is simple, but powerful: meet people where they are, listen to what they need, build trust, and make care accessible to people who may otherwise go without it.

That commitment to showing up for people is one of the many reasons we’re so grateful to have Kami serving on Kidzeum’s Board of Directors. The people who help guide our museum are also out in our community every day, making Springfield healthier, stronger, and more connected.

Congratulations to Kami and the entire SIU Medicine street medicine team on this important work! 👏

Read more from Capitol City Now below. ⬇️

“The goal would be for us to expand to more days of the week, but we are very much in our infancy.”

STORY: https://capitolcitynow.com/news/248842-street-medicine-has-arrived-in-springfield/

08/18/2026

Somewhere, Ms. Frizzle is very proud. 🚌💩

If you grew up watching The Magic School Bus cruise through Arnold's digestive system, you already know that sometimes the best way to learn about the human body is to get right inside it.

At Kidzeum, kids get to do exactly that. They can climb through our three-story human body, explore how different systems work, and learn what happens to everything we eat after it goes in.

Plan your trip at kidzeum.org/visit

08/14/2026

Our monarch watch continues, but if you want to see this little guy for yourself, you might want to hurry! 🐛🌿

Reggie is getting close to the end of his caterpillar days. A monarch spends only about 10 to 14 days as a caterpillar before finding just the right spot to hang upside down, form a “J” shape, and begin its transformation into a chrysalis.

Which means there’s a pretty small window left to catch our very hungry resident in action!

Stop by Kidzeum and take a peek at the pollinator garden out front while you’re here. See if you can find Reggie before his big transformation begins. 👀🐛