Children's Museum of Illinois
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
The Children's Museum of Illinois, located in Decatur, Illinois and adjacent to the Scovill Zoo, is one of the top 25 children's museums according to Children's Magazine. The 20,000 square foot facility contains interactive exhibits that primarily focus on the arts and sciences. In addition to the permanent exhibits, the museum offers education programs, special events, traveling exhibits, field trips, and outreach programs. When the current building opened, the Illinois Association of Museums named it the small institution of the year.
Images
The Children's Museum of Illinois
A view of one of the play areas in the museum
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
In the late 1980s, community organizers and educators recognized the need for a place where children could partake in interactive arts and sciences activities, which were lacking in the area's schools. The museum was incorporated in 1988 as the Decatur Area Children’s Museum and it opened in the Macon County Conservation District’s Education Center. It soon outgrew this space and moved into the new museum building in 1995.
Sources
http://childrensmuseumofil.com/about-us. Retrieved 8-12-15,