Collections Super Saturday and Virtual Junior Collector's Day
Curators Favorite Collections
Antelope Horns from Teddy Roosevelt
by Meredith, Assistant Curator of Zoology
A set of Eland horns donated to the Illinois State Museum from President Teddy Roosevelt in 1910 is Meredith's favorite object in the zoology collection.
Then join her for a short tour of the zoology range and what other wild things you can find in it!
Route 66 Pavement Core
by DeeAnn, Registrar of Anthropology
I have lots of "favorite" objects/artifacts. This one is kind of a wallflower. While it might not draw your attention immediately because it is not flashy, glamorous, or colorful it is an object I find extremely interesting.
I like to think about all the people that have come in contact with this artifact or other parts of it over many decades. Coming and going- to work, to school, to church, on vacation, for drivers education training, to rescue a dog or cat from a shelter, going on your first date, moving to a new home, bringing home a new baby, transporting produce and products across the country, and its use by emergency first responders to help people every day. It feels special, built by citizens to make life better for anyone needing to go from point A to point B all across the country. This is a piece of something built that is over 2400 miles long and stretches from Chicago Illinois to Santa Monica, California.
Why I Love My Job
by Hong, Curator of Botany
I like my job because with this job I can do various studies on plant diversity and biogeography at various geographic scales from Illinois to the globe.
Frances Todd Wallace Dress
by Erika Holst, Curator of History
This is one of my favorite objects from the collection. It is a dress that dates to the late 1850s that belonged to Mary Lincoln's sister, Frances Todd Wallace. I like it because it reminds us that history was full of vibrant colors, even though the photos we see are always just black and white. I also like it because it demonstrates new technology of the time - the purple dye was a new discovery in the 1850s, which led to a craze for purple clothing.
Isabel Flagg Hatch Socks
by Erika Holst, Curator of History
I also like these socks because they have been so heavily mended. It shows us that people of the past lived with their objects and cared for them and invested time in them. It also shows they have skills that many of us don't have anymore, like how to darn clothing to fix holes. These socks belonged to Isabel Flagg Hatch and date to the 1880s.
Our Collections
A museum is a house for collections. Some museums collect only one kind of thing. The Illinois State Museum has a lot of different collections. It is our job to keep them all safe and share them with you and your family. Take a short tour of what it looks like to store our collections with this slideshow!
Activities
How to Start a Collection
The Children's Museum of Indianapolis offers a few tips on starting a collection of your own!
Create a Museum for Your Collection
Turn your collection into an exhibit! Make labels and display "cases" and give a tour to your family and friends with these great activities! Click the button below to explore more.
Collection Storage
Storing your collection properly is an important part of collection care. Try some of these cool storage ideas by clicking the button below.
Collection Name Matching
Did you know a philatelist is a person who collects stamps? Learn the offical names for different collectors with this matching game by clicking the button below.
Caring for a Coin Collection
Have a coin collection? The United States Mint has a few tips and tricks to keep your collection safe! Click the button below for more information.
World Record Collections
People around the world and of all ages love collecting! Check out some of these amazing collections from the Guinness World Records. Click the button below to explore.
Noteworthy Collectors
Hazel Biggs Palmer
Hazel Biggs Palmer learned taxidermy from her father, Oliver S. Biggs. The Biggs family developed a small natural history museum in the attic of their home in San Jose, IL. Learn more about Hazel Biggs Palmer by clicking the button below.
Lorraine Trebilcock
Lorraine Trebilcock collected and maintained the Bevier Historic Costume and Textile collection which was given to the Illinois State Museum in 2001. Learn more about Lorraine by clicking the button below.
Mary Anning
Photo from the Natural History MuseumMary Anning was a fossil collector in England in the 1800s. The fossils she found lead to important gains in the field of paleontology, even though she was rarely given credit for her discoveries. Learn more about Mary Anning by clicking the button below.
Diasporal Rhythyms
Photo by Diasporal RhythymsDiasporal Rhythyms is a group of art collectors whose goal is to collect and preserve art from the African Diaspora (or group of people spread out from their homeland). Learn more about their mission by clicking the button below.
Ruth Horwich
Photo by Joel WintermantleRuth Horwich and her husband Leonard were some of the founding members of the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) in Chicago. They collected art and donated a significant portion of it to the MCA. Learn more about Ruth and the MCA by clicking the button below.
Dorothy and Herbert Vogel
Photo by Fred R. Conrad, New York TimesDorothy and Herbert Vogel worked as a librarian and a postal worker. They amassed a collection of 5,000 pieces of art in their lifetime! Learn more about Dorothy and Herbert by clicking the button below.