Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Champaign County's Lincoln

The Early American Museum has a new permanent exhibit! "Champaign County's Lincoln" explores the time Lincoln spent in our home county as a lawyer, politician and friend. This exhibit is full of surprises-- you can ride in a buggy, sit down for an imaginary drink at our own Kelley's Tavern, have a sitting in a 19th century photographers shop, or hear a political discussion in our own re-creation of the Goose Pond Church where Lincoln spoke in 1856.
There is something for everyone.

The new exhibit has a companion exhibit at the Champaign County Courthouse. Through multimedia, the courthouse exhibit helps you to discover Lincoln's legal practice in Champaign County. That exhbit is open 8-5 on weekdays, the Early American Museum exhibit is open 1-5 daily year-round.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

The Spurlock Museum will be celebrating its Centennial in 2011. As part of the celebration, we are asking anyone with memories from either the Spurlock Museum or World Heritage Museum to share them on our website at http://illinois.edu/db/view/303. Was there an exhibit, event, party, work, or visit experience that was special to you? Let us hear it!

New exhibit opening

The Spurlock Museum has just opened a new temporary exhibit called "Korean Funerary Figures: Companions for the Journey to the Other World." The exhibit features over 70 carved wooden figures that would have been placed on the funeral bier used to transport the deceased's coffin to the burial grounds. Some of the figures represent mythical creatures, like dragons. Others portray different kinds of people, including caregivers, nobles, musicians, acrobats, and clowns. It is thought that the figures both protected the deceased on the journey to the next world and brought happiness and joy in this time of sadness and grief. The pieces are quite engaging.

The grand opening for the exhibit will be March 13 from 1-4 PM. There will be games, crafts, and storytelling for all ages. Come celebrate with us! Admission is free!