ILLINOIS STATE MUSEUM GUIDE S70.7 1957* cop. 3 r i looaoY OF THE MAR 1 7 1950 BOARD OF ILLINOIS STATE MUSEUM ADVISORS M. M. Leighton, Ph.D., Chairman Illinois Geological Survey, Urbana Sol Tax, Ph.D., Secretary University of Chicago Chicago N. W. McGee, Ph.D. North Central College Naperville Percival Robertson, Ph.D. The Principia College Elsah Everett P. Coleman, M.D. Coleman Clinic Canton STATE OF ILLINOIS WILLIAM G. STRATTON Governor DEPARTMENT OF REGISTRATION AND EDUCATION VERA M. BINKS. Director ILLINOIS STATE MUSEUM Thorne Deuel, Director GUIDE 1 PRINTED BY AUTHORITY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS 1957 3 (58619 6-57) PRICE: 10 CENTS b noii ^A THE MUSEUM STORY The Illinois State Museum is a museum of natural history and art. Though not confined to Illinois, its major emphasis is to interpret these fields in respect to our local interests, resources and development. The story of natural history is a long and continu- ing one. The tour in the Museum begins with geol- ogy, the development of the earth and the evidences of plant and animal life preserved as fossils. This fascinating story in the rocks helps us understand the origin and development of the world, to under- stand when and where plants and animals developed on the earth; it gives us strong supporting evidence of the developmental evolutionary nature of the world and the life upon it. From geology, the exhibits take you directly to the biological development in the Hall of Life; then in the Main Hall are presented many forms of plant and animal life as they exist today, and through media of the exhibits we endeavor to show not only the infinite and fascinating variety of life but the interdependence and relationship of these myriad forms. Man is presented in relation to and as part of his natural environment — both the world-wide develop- ment of man and the development of man and his culture here in Illinois with the Stone Age, Wood- land, and farming Indians in Illinois, and the pioneer and settler struggles to develop and wrest the land for our use. In the final chapter is presented man's art. It includes the art of primitive peoples, of Oriental culture and of our own Western culture, both tra- ditional and modern. This is the story that the Illinois State Museum presents in exhibits. We hope you will find this gLiide helpful in interpreting it. The paragraph numbers on the follo\^ing pages correspond to the exhibit numbers on the plan on page 6. SUGGESTED TOUR OF MUSEUM EXHIBITS I. EARTH SCIENCE OR GEOLOGY Hall of Geology Exhibits concerning the earth itself are limited largely to information about the earth's crust and the ancient life forms that are contained in it. These exhibits are presented in the Hall of Geology at the west entrance to the Museum, in the displays of fluorescent and radioactive minerals found just off the Main Hall next to the west corridor and in a display on the formation of fossils in the center of the Main Hall. 1. BEAUTIFUL FUNERALS. The most spectacu- lar exhibit in the Geology Room, Beautiful Minerals, show^s noteworthy specimens of the most striking forms of minerals from all parts of the world. 2. GEOLOGIC COLUjVIN. In a corner of the room stands a column of rocks characteristic of each era and period in the development of the earth from the Archean at the base to the Cenozoic at the top. At one side is a chart indicating the development of life during the time represented by the column. 3. ILLINOIS IMINERAL PRODUCTS. An exhibit of the principal minerals mined in Illinois and their distribution by counties. 4. MAJVIMOTH AND MASTODON. Fossil remains of the mammoth and mastodon, large prehistoric elephants that once roamed in Illinois. 5. SEA LILIES. A display of Crinoids, an interest- ing form of sea life which has existed continuously from 450 million years ago to the present time in the oceans of the world. Small fossil plates and segments ' ^o' ' ' — ' Ab3-nvO ^ iSV3 Di 1 I ^D o o A«3n-ivo OO o / JIL of this animal are abundant in Illinois rocks, but complete specimens are rare. 6. PREHISTORIC SEA ANIMALS. Illinois was covered by seas many times as evidenced by these marine fossils found in Illinois. 7. ELEMENTS ARE THE BASIC CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES OF THE UNIVERSE. An exhibit showing elements as the raw material on which we build our modern civilization. 8. PLANTS AND ANEVIALS FROM THE COAL AGE FOREST SWAMPS OF ILLINOIS. Part of the Museum's extensive collection of Mazon Creek con- cretions containing fossil remains of worms, crayfish, insects, clams and plants. These are found in beds of clay and in shale associated with the great coal deposits of Illinois. 9. ILLINOIS FORESTS OF 250,000,000 YEARS AGO. Fossils from shale associated with our coal fields are exhibited here. Plants such as these were the raw materials from which coal has developed. The Geology Room also contains other extensive collections of rocks and minerals, fossils, crystals and commercial building stone. 10. SPECIAL MINERAL EXHIBITS. (Between Main Hall and West Corridor) Two very interesting exhibits are situated across from each other. One, a collection of minerals possessing the property of fluorescing with brilliant colors under ultra-violet or * 'black light," may be controlled by the observer. The second, which consists of a Geiger Counter de- vice placed beside a movable turntable, contains minerals of varying radioactivity. The audible tick- ing and visual blinking light indicate the amount of radiation given off by each mineral. W .N^ VERTEBRATES ARACHNIDA CRUSTACEAN MYRIAPODA spIder ^yA* ^ GRASSHOPPER STARFISH ^1 BALANOGLOSSUS .SEA URCHIN PLATYHELMINTHES ECHINODERMSJ ARTHROPODA ^^^^L '".^?:" PORIFERA PROTOZOA, wj., ONE - CELLED ~^,^r' ANIMALS II. RISE OF LIVING THINGS Hall of Developing Life The north corridor off the Main Hall is devoted to a presentation of the development of animal life, according to one of the simpler classifications. Such an exhibit serves a two-fold purpose of suggesting the evolutionary nature of the development of life from the simpler forms such as the Protozoa, up to the Chordata (vertebrates) with their central ner- vous system, advanced circulatory and respiratory systems. It also presents in a broader way the classi- fication system by which zoologists identify and describe all living animal forms. 11. ORDER OF APPEARANCE OF LIFE FORMS. This exhibit illustrates the phyla (plural form of phylum) of animal life with examples of each. Then follows a series of exhibits extending down the entire length of this hall illustrating the major groups. 12. PORIFERA. The sponges. Examples shown include Venus's-flower-basket, Maiden's Glove, Soft Bath Sponges and many others. 13. COELENTERATA. The corals, sea anemones, jellyfish, and hydroids. 14. ECHINODERMATA. Star fish, sea urchins. 15. MOLLUSCA. Commonly called shellfish. Il- lustrated in our exhibit by the Chambered Nautilus, the squids and octopus, oysters, clams, scallops, and sea slug. 16. ARTHROPODA. This great group, having exo- skeletons, jointed bodies and legs, is represented by examples of insects, such as flies, butterflies, moths, seventeen-year locust, and beetles; the Arachnids — spiders and scorpions; the Crustacea — lobsters, crabs and crayfish. 17. CHORDATA. Creatures having a dorsally- located central nervous system (principally verte- brates) . Fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mam- mals (including man) are classes or major subdivi- sions under Chordata. The exhibit includes an outstanding collection of skeletons comparing the structures of fish, amphib- ians, reptiles, birds and mammals. There is also an exhibit comparing the skeleton of a horse to that of a man and suggesting that all mammals have essen- tially the same bones but that the individual bones are modified to fit special requirements. At the end of this hall is an exhibit of mounted fish, both fresh water and marine. in. FROM WATER TO LAND Hall of ReptUes and Amphibians Located off the northwest corner of the Main Hall. Two interesting groups of vertebrates are displayed here. 10 The displays include: 18. Models showing the poison mechanism of the pit vipers. 19. The four poisonous snakes of Illinois and where in Illinois they have been found. 20. A series of exhibits showing several of the more harmless snakes of Illinois. 21. Legends and misinformation about reptiles. 22. Turtles and lizards (reptiles). Mud puppy (amphibian). 23. Protective devices of reptiles and amphibians. IV. IVIA3IMALS AND BIRDS Main HaU The Main Hall, the high-vaulted room which con- stitutes the greater part of the Museum's exhibition space, displays representative specimens of the living 11 things of the world, particularly the mammals and birds of Illinois, past and present, many in their native surroundings. Beautifully reconstructed plants are incorporated into the habitat groups to emphasize the fact that all are a part of the imme- diate environment or ecological area. Man, himself a part of nature, is depicted in certain of the Indian exhibits also found in this room. Adjoining the Main Hall can be found the above-mentioned halls con- cerning specialized parts of the animal kingdom. 24. VIRGINIA DEER. A buck, doe and yearling in an early fall snow setting in central Illinois. Syca- more and white pine trees complement the scene. 25. AIVIERICAN ELK. A mature buck, a young buck and a doe in a northern Illinois setting typical of the Wisconsin Zone with oak and paper birch trees. 26. BISON. A herd of American bison drinking at the Sangamon River near Springfield. Buffalo were common in Illinois until about 1800. 27. MOOSE. An early winter scene of two moose in the northern Illinois lake region. Compare the antlers of the bull moose with a set of Irish elk ant- lers above the exhibit on the wall. The Irish elk was hunted by Stone Age men of northern Europe. 28. BLACK BEAR. A pair of bear cubs with mother searching for insects while the male parent lurks in the background. Setting is Starved Rock area, 1850 or earlier. 29. MOUNTAIN LION. A den of these most effec- tive of the powerful predators of North America, shown among the rocks along the Illinois River in the time of the Indian. 12 30. HAWKS AND OWLS OF ILLINOIS. A dia- grammatic presentation of the important birds of prey in Illinois, their economic importance, how they are identified, and what they eat. Interspersed among these are several other exhib- its of smaller animals, including bobcat, fox, rabbits, otter, muskrat and raccoon. On the north side of the room can be found mounted specimens of flightless birds, vanishing birds, ducks of Illinois waters, geese, and marsupials (animals that carry their young in pouches). 31. PINE HILLS MARSH GROUP. One of our newer habitat groups depicting some of the birds, reptiles, amphibians and plants associated together as they commonly occur in a typical marsh area in southern Illinois. 32. WILD TURKEYS. (Hall of Man) An impor- tant food item to the Indians and early settlers, the wild turkey disappeared in Illinois around 1930 but is today being reintroduced in southern Illinois. 13 V. THE STORY OF MAN AND HIS CULTURE Hall of Man The Story of Man is an extensive and complicated one. In the Museum are displayed several facets of this complex story. There are exhibits suggesting his origin, exhibits depicting his cultural development on a world-wide scale. A great many exhibits on the development of the American Indian and particularly the Indian in Illinois are here, together with exhibits touching on the high spots of our Indian, pioneer and settler story in Illinois, and an entire section on man and his artistic expressions. 33. RISE OF MAN. An exhibit of the evolution- ary development of the primate from the great apes to man is graphically presented by a tree of life placed over a time chart. On the trunk and branches of the tree, placed in their proper sequence in time, are casts of the important skulls so far discovered showing the evolution of the modern primates as they exist today. 34. ANCIENT A3IERICAN INDIAN INDUS- TRIES. Diagonally across the aisle is an exhibit de- picting the weapons and tools of Illinois Indians and how they were made, including examples of stone chipping, polished and ground stone, drilled stone and pottery. 35. THE HOPEWELLIAN INDIAN. An exhibit showing with carefully selected artifacts some of the evidences of the great artistic skill, wide-spread trade, and advanced cultural attainment of this out- standing group of Woodland Indians who practiced both hunting and agriculture, and who appear to have dominated Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio about the beginning of the Christian era. 14 36. mSSISSIPPIAN INDIANS. An exhibit de- monstrating with carefully selected artifacts the ad- vanced agricultural development of this corn and tobacco raising people who developed great villages of over 2000 people. They built great pyramid mounds, had an elaborate religion and government. They lived in Illinois in the 15th century near Brook- port and around East St. Louis and until the latter part of the 18th century in the southeastern United States. 37. HOPEVVELLIAN STATUETTES. Restora- tions of original statuettes found in Calhoun County, Illinois, and an artist's realistic reconstruction in miniature depict the Hopewellians as they looked and dressed about 100 B.C. 38. POTTERY OF THE SOUTHWESTERN IN- DIANS. The decorative pottery in this exhibit is the work of agricultural Indians of the Southwest. It was collected by the late Thomas Condell. 39. HISTORIC INDIAN ARTIFACTS. In cases around the perimeter of the room are shown leather- work decorated with paint, quills and beads, stone work, work in wood, beautiful weaving of the South- west, silver and turquoise jewelry, and handsome woven baskets of the Pacific Coast states. The ma- terial is from the Thomas Condell collection. 40. MODOC ROCK SHELTER. (Main Hall) Near the east entrance of the Main Hall is a long low case that presents important artifacts in relation to their levels and dates as they were found by Museum archaeologists in the soil of the Modoc Rock Shelter. They give the story of the development of the Stone Age or Archaic Indians of Illinois from before 8000 B.C. to 2700 B.C. 15 41. THE WILSON MOUND. (Main Hall) In an adjacent low case is an exhibit on an important Hope- well mound in White County. It gives evidence of their elaborate burial customs, extensive and wide- spread trade, and the importance of the artisan in their culture. 42. TREES THAT TALK. (Main Hall) In the adjacent upright case is an exhibit that shows how we were able to date a 1511 A.D. level in Kincaid and Cahokia Village sites by the study of the seasonal growth rings in a cross-section of a juniper tree. 43. PEORIA INDIANS. (Main Hall) Across the Main Hall is a large life-sized exhibit of the Peoria, a tribe of the great Illini Confederacy that once oc- cupied most of what is now Illinois. The story: two young braves from a returning war party have brought a captive Sioux to their chief. 44. MAN S VENTURE IN CULTURE. (Art Gal- lery) In the southeast gallery on the sixth floor is an exhibit of 21 miniature dioramas depicting impor- 16 tant steps in the development of culture from the earliest times to modern civilization. This series dovetails neatly with the studies of the fifth and sixth grades in our Illinois schools. It includes the invention or discovery of stone tools, art, navigation, farming, beasts of burden, law, written language, printing, exploration, democracy, and invention. 45. STORY OF ILLINOIS DIORAMAS. (East Corridor) Between the Hall of Man and the Main Hall is a series of twelve dioramas. This series is completely described in the booklet, "Story of Illi- nois: Indian and Pioneer." The exhibits include: 1673 — Marquette and the Indians 1763 — Indians Fighting the British on the way to Fort Chartres 1779 — Clark Advancing from Kaskaskia to Vincennes 1820 — The Circuit Rider 1833 — Indians Agree to Leave Illinois 1837 — John Deere and the Prairie Plow 1850 — The Underground Railroad 1858 — The Lincoln-Douglas Debates 1871 — The Chicago Fire 1877 — The Railroad Strike 1880 — Meat Packers for the World **** — Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow 46. FIREARMS. (West Corridor) At the other end of the Main Hall in the West Corridor is an ex- tensive collection of guns given to the Museum by the late Frank R. Grover. The collection covers wide development of guns from the time of the crossbow and the matchlocks of 1400 A.D., through the flint- lock blunderbusses of the Colonial days, guns of the Revolutionary War period, the flintlocks of the 17 Indian trade, the first factory-assembled Colts and Sharps, the development of multiple load percussion guns, and finally several examples of early rim fire cartridge-firing revolvers and pistols. VI. MAN S ARTISTIC EXPRESSION Art Gallery The Art Gallery, surrounding the Main Hall, may be reached by flights of stairs at either end of the Hall. 47. THE YOUNG. LINCOLN. At the top of the stairs at the west end is a statue of the Illinois leg- islator and lawyer, as portrayed by the Illinois sculp- tor, Lorado Taft. 48. INDIAN SPEARHEADS. All in this group, found near Mackinaw, Illinois, are made from white flint and show a high degree of skill in chipping. Thirty-one objects in number, the set is one of the finest and most perfect ever found. They were pre- sented to the Museum by the late Frank W. Aldrich. 49. NORTH GALLERY is reserved for temporary exhibits of paintings, sculpture, glass, textiles, etc. These are usually changed every two months and offer a wide variety of art, both modern and tradi- tional. The more important shows have catalogues describing them. These can be obtained from the hostess in the Art Gallery. 50. EAST GALLERY. Exhibits of Oriental art, this gallery displays Chinese silks, porcelains, Jap- anese inroes, Chinese ancestral paintings, a large Chinese wall hanging, rhinoceros horn cups and beautiful items in glass and jade principally from the Thomas Condell collection. 18 51-53. HUNTER GALLERY OF ANTIQUE CLOCKS AND COVERLETS. In the south gallery are two noteworthy collections on display. One (51) is an exhibit of twelve choice examples of early American coverlets from a collection of nearly 100 given to the Museum by Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Hunter. The second (53) is the Hunter Collection of antique clocks, dating from 1680 to about 1900, collected and displayed to show the history of the development of the clock. A catalogue of this clock collection can be purchased at the Museum office. 52. EARLY AMERICAN PRESSED GLASS. Shown also in the gallery are examples of fine early American pressed glass from the Mrs. Justus John- son and the Hunter collections. 19 AIDS TO THE VISITOR Location The Illinois State Museum, founded in 1877, is on the fifth floor of the Centennial Building in Spring- field, Illinois. This building stands south of the State Capitol near the junction of South Second and Jackson streets. The Museum may be reached by elevators or stairways at either the east or west end of the Centennial Building. Hours and Days of Operation The Museum is open to visitors every day of the year except New Year's Day, the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. Hours are 8:30-5:00, Monday through Saturday, and 2:00-5:00 p. m., Sundays. (Springfield has Daylight Saving Time [Fast Time] from the last Sunday of April to the last Sunday of October). Admission is always free. Information and Sales Counter Information may be obtained and Museum publi- cations and souvenirs purchased at the Information and Sales Counter at the east end of the Museum. Income from the sales counter reverts to the Illinois State Museum Society, a non-profit organization dedicated to the Museum's program of research and children's work. 20 Rest Rooms Rest rooms are located as follows: Ladies — southeast corner of hallway at the east end of the Museum. Men — just inside annex door off the same hall- way at the east end of the Museum. Drinking Water A water fountain is available in the east hallway next to the ladies' rest room. STUDY COLLECTIONS For the serious student, the Museum maintains advanced study collections under the supervision and care of trained curators. These collections include: Anthropology — extensive and representative ar- chaeological collections from Illinois; ethnological collections from America, Africa and Australia; archaeological collections from the southwestern United States. Botany — an extensive herbarium of over 50,000 plants of Illinois. Geology — a collection of over 300,000 rocks, min- erals, and fossils. Zoology — scientific skins of birds and animals; study collections of vertebrate skeletons; compara- tive collection of fresh-water mollusca of Illinois; collections of preserved reptiles and amphibians; insects. 21 SUGGESTIONS FOR VISITS TO SPRINGFIELD AND NEW SALEM If, following your visit to the Museum, you also plan to visit the Capitol Building, allow for 30-45 minutes to be spent there. If you plan visiting Lincoln's Home and Lincoln's Tomb, allow about one-half hour at each place and about fifteen minutes travel time between each location. Should you wish to visit New Salem State Park, allow for 19 miles of travel to and from Springfield and two hours minimum time in visiting the village. No reservations are needed to visit Lincoln's Home, Tomb or New Salem. Hours of operation: Home and Tomb During Daylight Savings Time — 8:00 - 6:00. Rest of the year — 9:00 - 5:00. New Salem State Park Buildings are open 8:00-5:00 (year round) The Park is open all the time. We hope that you have found your visit both edu- cational and enjoyable. Visit us again soon! 22