Visitor Information - ISM Research & Collections Center

Visitor Information for ISM Research & Collections Center

 

The Research and Collections Center holds the Museum's many natural history and decorative arts collections. There are also laboratories, the Mastodon Factory, GIS Lab, curators' offices, and the Technology Learning Center. The RCC is a 97,000 square-foot facility dedicated to collections care, research, and education. It is a bank with an investment for the future. It fulfills the ISM's mission of collecting, studying, and interpreting objects that represent the natural history, anthropology, and art of Illinois. It provides state-of-the-art space to care for and study important scientific and art collections, as well as laboratories and special program spaces for Museum scientists, artists, and educators. The RCC houses the vast collections that range in size from the microscopic to the colossal--from pollen grains to mastodon fossils.

The diverse collections include artifacts, fossils, biologic specimens, works of art, records, and databases. The rocks, minerals, and fossil plants and animals, and their contemporary counterparts, permanently record the evolution of Illinois climates, landscapes, plants, and animals. Finely-crafted tools, ornaments, and works of art illustrate the rich cultural history from the cultures of the prehistoric American Indians who thrived in this region for over 10,000 years, to the early French explorers of the seventeenth century, to the settlers of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, to the culturally diverse societies of today.

The collections and educational resources in the RCC provide the basis for learning experiences that surpass those available in the traditional classroom and other formal settings. They permit first-hand observation of the tangible evidence for natural and cultural change and diversity. They are studied by students and scholars from a wide variety of disciplines.

Public Programs are held in the RCC, including Brown Bag lectures and the monthly Paul Mickey Science Series Lecture.

Visits to the RCC must be prearranged. Please call (217) 785-0037 to schedule a tour.

Address

1011 East Ash Street
Springfield, IL 62703

Hours

Mon. - Fri. 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Contact Information

Telephone: 217-785-0037
FAX: 217-785-2857
Email:

Parking/Accessibility

There is a large parking lot on site, parking is free.

Directions

The entrance is just north of Ash Street on 10 1/2th Street. Facility only open to the public for educational programs and by appointment.
Location on MapQuest.
Location on Google Maps.

Visitor Information

The Research and Collections Center holds the Museum's many natural history and decorative arts collections. There are also laboratories, the Mastodon Factory, GIS Lab, curators' offices, and the Technology Learning Center. The RCC is a 97,000 square-foot facility dedicated to collections care, research, and education. It is a bank with an investment for the future. It fulfills the ISM's mission of collecting, studying, and interpreting objects that represent the natural history, anthropology, and art of Illinois. It provides state-of-the-art space to care for and study important scientific and art collections, as well as laboratories and special program spaces for Museum scientists, artists, and educators. The RCC houses the vast collections that range in size from the microscopic to the colossal--from pollen grains to mastodon fossils.

The diverse collections include artifacts, fossils, biologic specimens, works of art, records, and databases. The rocks, minerals, and fossil plants and animals, and their contemporary counterparts, permanently record the evolution of Illinois climates, landscapes, plants, and animals. Finely-crafted tools, ornaments, and works of art illustrate the rich cultural history from the cultures of the prehistoric American Indians who thrived in this region for over 10,000 years, to the early French explorers of the seventeenth century, to the settlers of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, to the culturally diverse societies of today.

The collections and educational resources in the RCC provide the basis for learning experiences that surpass those available in the traditional classroom and other formal settings. They permit first-hand observation of the tangible evidence for natural and cultural change and diversity. They are studied by students and scholars from a wide variety of disciplines.

Public Programs are held in the RCC, including Brown Bag lectures and the monthly Paul Mickey Science Series Lecture. Click to Programs and Events for the Illinois State Museum and the Research and Collections Center.

Visits to the RCC must be prearranged. Please call (217) 785-0037 to schedule a tour.