Behind the Beautiful Dress

Erika Holst is the Curator of History at the Illinois State Museum. Her most recent exhibition, on view in 2023, is Growing Up X, an exploration of the toys, technology, and cultural touchstones that shaped Generation X. Erika has worked in the public history field for more than 15 years. During that time, she has curated more than a dozen exhibitions. She is passionate about sharing stories of people and history through material culture. Before joining the Illinois State Museum, Erika served as Curator of Collections at the historic Edwards Place in Springfield, IL. Erika’s publications include Wicked Springfield: Crime, Corruption, and Scandal During the Lincoln Era; Edwards Place: A Springfield Treasure; and Historic Houses of Lincoln’s Illinois, as well as several scholarly and popular articles. She holds an MA from the Winterthur Program in Early American Culture and a BA from Illinois Wesleyan University.