Elgin Public Museum

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Elgin Public Museum before the east wing was added in 1998.

The Elgin Public Museum of Natural History and Anthropology in Lords Park is a small natural history museum located in Elgin, Illinois.

1 History
2 Exhibits
3 References
4 External links

[edit] History

Built in 1907 as the Lord Memorial Museum and opened in 1920 as the Elgin Audubon Museum, it is the oldest museum building in Illinois still used as such. The original plan for the museum called for three wings, but only the west wing and central hall were completed before funds ran out. The east wing was added in 1998, restoring the neo-classical symmetry of the building's original design.

[edit] Exhibits

Current exhibit topics include Mazon Creek fossils, Native American lifeways, Ice Age mammals, and endangered species. A petting farm, captive bison and elk, and other animals are on display in the surrounding 108-acre Lords Park. The museum also offers classes for adults and children and operates a gift shop.