What are the opening hours?

Monday 10am - 5pm Tuesday 10am - 5pm Wednesday 10am - 5pm Thursday 10am - 5pm Friday 10am - 5pm Saturday 10am - 5pm Sunday 1pm - 5pm

History Museum on the Square

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Springfield, MO
History Museum on the Square

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It is located on historic Route 66 in downtown Springfield, MO. We strengthen our community’s future by learning about our past and our culture.
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History Museum on the Square strengthens our future by sharing our past, offering engaging exhibits, interactive displays, and unique events to celebrate local history and inspire learning. History Museum on the Square is a nonprofit museum located right on historic Route 66 in Springfield, MO. Our six permanent galleries tell the stories of significant events in Springfield and create distinct and intentional dialogues about objects, individuals, and history– dialogues that foster examinations of unique aspects of Springfield, Greene County and its people. A rich and vast collection of artifacts, photographs, and stories of the crossroads are combined using innovative technologies. Take a ride in our Trolley Time Machine, see if you are as good a shot as Wild Bill Hickok in a recreation of the first Wild West Shootout, explore what Springfield was like during the Civil War, and travel down the Mother Road to the place where Route 66 got its name. Walking tours of Springfield, special programs and events are offered throughout the year and can be found on our website. Hours:
Monday-Tuesday: Closed to the Public
Wednesday - Saturday 10 am - 5:00 pm
Sunday 1-5 pm

Prices:
Adult: $16.00
Senior/Military/Student: $13.00
Child (age 4-12): $10.00
Children 3 & under: Free

Mission:

The History Museum on the Square is committed to building and preserving an extensive collection of historical documents and artifacts, as we share stories of the crossroads to engage, educate, and inspire our diverse audience. Executive Director: Sean FitzGibbons
Business Manager: Charlotte McCoy
Special Event & Visitor Experience Manager: Abby Foster
Education Manager: Whitney Mosley
Civics Education Coordinator - Jill Hodge
CivicS Education Coordinator - Al Thompson
Collections & Exhibits Manager: Sarah Dotson
First Impression Coordinator: Alyssa Cartier
Executive Director Emeritus: John Sellars

https://linktr.ee/historymuseumonthesquare

10/28/2026

Thank you I Love Springfield, MO! for sharing! We are really looking forward to this year's Ozark Jubilee Live! 11/20 | 7:30

10/27/2026

Springfield News-Leader Thank you for sharing about our upcoming Ozark Jubilee Live! November 20th - Historic Fox Theatre

Ozark Jubilee Live will bring music, comedy and Ozarks culture to Springfield's Historic Fox Theatre while raising money for a local museum. See link below ⬇️

📸 Provided by History Museum on The Square

10/23/2026

After their victory in the Battle of Wilson’s Creek, Confederate troops were based in and around Springfield. On October 25, 1861, the Union troops charged against the Confederate militias. This became known as the First Battle of Springfield, or Zagonyi’s Charge, and this Sunday marks its 165th anniversary!

Brigadier General Charles Zagonyi was in command of the Union troops and, despite being outnumbered, forced the Confederates out of the town—removing flags, releasing prisoners, and encouraging local Union supporters.

Although the battle had minimal tactical or strategic impact, it was the first Union victory in Southwest Missouri, and the legacy of both the first and second Battles of Springfield has had lasting relevance to the history of the community.

🎃 You can learn all about this chapter of Springfield's history, and more, on one of our Haunted History Tours this October! Purchase tickets here: https://bit.ly/HMSHauntedHistory

📷 Pictured Below: Maj. Charles Zagonyi, commander of John C. Fremont's Body Guard at what is commonly called Zagonyi's Charge in Springfield (ca. 1861).

📝 Text co-written by History Museum on the Square Intern, Ada Montgomery, and the HMS Team.
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10/22/2026

Leadership Springfield, Thank you for another wonderful Signature Class Programming Day morning!

10/21/2026

Thank you Unscripted AM for having us on to talk about our Haunted History Tours!

10/21/2026

Thank you Leadership Springfield for spending the morning with us!

10/15/2026

Built in 1891, the Springfield Calaboose was used as a jailhouse until the 1940s. It is known as the oldest city-owned structure in the city. The jailhouse was used mostly for municipal code violations, like thieves, traffic violators, and the intoxicated; however, there were a number of escapes that occurred throughout the use of the building.

Previously positioned between the old fire and police stations, the Calaboose now conversely stands among the newer Downtown—serving as a police museum for the city full of relics, photos, and endless stories.

🎟 Learn about the Calaboose's spookier side during one of our Haunted History Tours this October! Purchase tickets here: https://bit.ly/HMSHauntedHistory

📷 Pictured Below: A black and white photograph of the back of the City Jail, also known as the Calaboose, facing south on McDaniel St. near Campbell Ave. (ca. 1980).

📝 Text co-written by History Museum on the Square Intern, Ada Montgomery, and the HMS Team.
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10/09/2026

🎭 The Historic Fox Theatre has been one of the premier theaters in Springfield for over a century but has gone through many changes in that time. After the fire on the square in 1913, land was bought by Electric Theatre, a chain out of Kansas City, to build what was called the “nicest theater in South Missouri.” A well-celebrated local artist, Oliver J. Corbett, painted a mural inside the lobby while Kansas City interior designers created the rest. It dazzled guests with many Vaudeville acts and silent movies during its time.

🎥 In 1930, the Electric Theatre was bought by Paramount, but they only owned it for four years before selling it to the Fox Theatre chain, where it ran several of the biggest Disney and mainstream movies of the day. Unfortunately, in 1947, two fires damaged the theater and nearly destroyed most of the building.

🦊 The Fox Theatre was used by Abundant Life Church from 1982 to 2014. After that, the History Museum on the Square took ownership of the building and began to focus efforts on utilizing and preserving the theater that holds so many memories and such a rich history.

📷 Pictured Below: Two photos of the Electric Theater in the Northeast corner of Park Central Square (ca. 1930s and 1940s); a black-and-white negative of the interior of the Electric Theater after a fire gutted the building, taken by Betty Love (1949).

📝 Text co-written by History Museum on the Square Intern, Ada Montgomery, and the HMS Team.

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10/08/2026

History Museum on the Square is hiring for a new position within the museum. Deputy Director & Chief of Staff to serve as the Executive
Director’s second-in-command and senior internal leadership partner.
Check the website under Join Us/Careers for detailed information. https://historymuseumonthesquare.org/careers/

10/08/2026

Here’s an exploration of intriguing headlines and stories from this week, but with a twist – they’re from a century ago, meticulously preserved by the History Museum on the Square and Sharing Stories of the Crossroads.

Address

154 Park Central Square
Springfield, MO
65806

Opening Hours

Monday	10am - 5pm
Tuesday	10am - 5pm
Wednesday	10am - 5pm
Thursday	10am - 5pm
Friday	10am - 5pm
Saturday	10am - 5pm
Sunday	1pm - 5pm

Telephone

(417) 831-1976

Website

http://www.historymuseumonthesquare.org/

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