The McLean County Museum of History traces its roots back to 1892, the year the McLean County Historical Society was founded. Today, the Museum is a nationally accredited, award-winning institution dedicated to preserving, interpreting, and sharing the rich history of McLean County.

The Museum’s early roots date to December 5, 1903, when the Historical Society held its first meeting in a room set aside for the Society in the newly completed McLean County Courthouse. That historic building, located at 200 N. Main Street in downtown Bloomington, is now home to the McLean County Museum of History.

The Museum features seven exhibit galleries, more than 18,000 objects, over 15,000 rare and hard-to-find books on local history and genealogy, and 2,000 feet of historical papers and images in its archives. Its exhibits and educational programs invite visitors of all ages to discover the people, places, events, and experiences that shaped McLean County.

Exhibits

The Museum’s permanent exhibits include Challenges, Choices, and Change, a 5,000-square-foot experience presented across four galleries: Making a Home, Farming in the Great Corn Belt, Working for a Living, and A Community in Conflict. Visitors can also explore Abraham Lincoln in McLean County, the Merwin Gallery, the hands-on Pioneer Discovery Room, and the historic Courthouse Exhibit.

The Museum is also home to changing temporary exhibits:

New in 2026: More Than A Game: A Community History of Baseball & Softball Opened July 18, 2026, this new temporary exhibit explores more than 150 years of baseball and softball history in McLean County. From early games played before the Civil War to today's CornBelters, baseball and softball have been woven into the community's story for generations.

The exhibit examines how changes in race and gender equality, leisure time, technology, and social life played out on local ballfields. Visitors can step up to the microphone to call a game, learn how to grip a pitch, keep score on a recreated 1930s Pantagraph scoreboard, watch archival footage, hear sounds from the dugout, and test their knowledge with local baseball and softball trivia. The exhibit is scheduled to remain on display through 2031.

Also currently on display is A Deadly Deception: The Asbestos Tragedy in McLean County, a temporary exhibit examining the history of the asbestos manufacturing plant on Bloomington’s west side and the people who endured its toxic working and environmental conditions. The exhibit is scheduled to remain on display through 2027.

Plan Your Visit

Visitors enter and exit the Museum through the Cruisin’ with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center, making it a natural starting and ending point for a visit. Located on the ground floor of the McLean County Museum of History, the Visitors Center features Route 66 information panels highlighting the history and local connections of the Mother Road, along with a gift shop offering locally produced products, Abraham Lincoln souvenirs, Route 66 merchandise, and other unique items. It also provides local tourism information to help visitors discover additional attractions, historic sites, and things to do throughout McLean County.

The McLean County Museum of History is open year-round, Monday through Saturday. Regular hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, with extended hours on Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. The Museum is closed Sundays.

Admission is free for everyone on Tuesdays. Admission is also free for Museum members, students and children, and several other groups.

Come explore the stories of McLean County, discover fascinating artifacts and exhibits, and experience history where it happened.

McLean County Museum of History 200 N. Main Street Bloomington, Illinois 61701 Entrance on Washington Street For current hours, exhibits, events, and visitor information, https://mchistory.org/visit