Illinois opens voting for the state’s best museums

Posted on May 24, 2018

*Illinois’ bicentennial celebration continues with voting open for choosing the state’s best museums, with the McLean County Museum of History included on the list.(WJBC File Photo)*

By Illinois Radio Network

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois’ latest bicentennial-best-of-list once again pits the world famous against the locally famous.

Top 200 voters in the state are choosing museums this week.

Chris Wills with the state’s Historic Preservation Agency said that means a choice between places like the Field Museum and Art Institute of Chicago, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum in Springfield, and lesser known spots like the McLean County Museum of History.

“We could, honestly, have filled-up the entire list of nominees with Chicago museums because that city is so rich in museums,” Wills said. “But there are a a lot of fascinating ones in other places in the state too.”

Wills said that includes the Children’s Museum in Decatur, Rockford’s Burpee Museum and the Spurlock Museum at the University of Illinois.

“The subject matter is incredible,” Wills said. “We’ve got the DuSable Museum of African American History in Chicago. We’ve got the State Military Museum in Springfield. We’ve got Cantigny Park with its military museum and exhibit of tanks that’s just great.”

Voters can make their choices at IllinoisTop200.com through the end of the day Friday.

Will said next up on the Top 200 project list will be Illinois’ best books.

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