Museum of the Grand Prairie

05/29/2026

Thank you to everyone who signed up and attended our recent Photography Workshop! The weather was nice and sunny, a perfect day for photos.

The session was instructed by Fred Delcomyn, Professor emeritus and Director emeritus of the School of Integrative Biology at the University of Illinois.

05/28/2026

Were you able to join us for Historical Games 2026? The open-house event highlighted some old-fashioned and fun historical children's games! Activities took place inside the museum, botanical garden, and even our one room schoolhouse. Burrito King was also on-site to serve up some delicious food!

Thank you to the wonderful volunteers and staff for making the event possible. We hope to see you next year!

05/20/2026

The accessibility lift at the museum is temporarily out of service due to mechanical failure. We are actively working to restore service as quickly as possible.

In the meantime, accommodations are available by contacting Chelsea at [email protected]

Send a message to learn more

05/19/2026

Check out our most recent blog post. In this series we highlight the histories of Indigenous groups which once traveled and lived across Central Illinois as well as their contemporary descendants. Read more to learn about the Peoria, Piankashaw, Wea, and Kaskaskia Nations!

https://museumofthegrandprairie.org/Explore/Blog/native-peoples-of-east-central-illinois-then-and-now-the-illinois-confederation

05/18/2026

This striking linocut print entitled “Princess of Ife” is from our Doris Hoskins archive. It was done by Margaret Burroughs in 1987 and is inscribed to Doris and Gene Hoskins.

Margaret Burroughs (1915-2010) is a renowned African-American artist, writer, educator, organizer, and activist. Among her many achievements was co-founding Chicago’s Southside Community Art Center and DuSable Museum of African American History. Burroughs’ prints often focus on people and scenes from daily life. She also explores the contrasts and connections between black and white, both graphically and culturally.

Ife is a modern-day city in Nigeria. Over 900 years ago it was the cultural center for the Kingdom of Ife and the Yoruba people. The Kingdom of Ife is especially known for its fine art.

Burroughs linocut will appear in a new case exhibit titled, “The Art of Making: The Tools and Traditions of Handiwork,” coming soon!

01/01/2026

Happy New Year! 🎆 The museum will be closed in January and February. See you in March!

12/23/2025