Join us in welcoming historian and cuator Erika Holst from the Illinois State Museum. Historical objects enrich our understanding of and connection to the past. In commemoration of America 250, this program takes a look at Illinois history through the lens of ten objects from the collection of the Illinois State Museum. Each of these objects sheds light on the experiences of the people who used them against the backdrop of different times in Illinois history.

Time periods and themes covered include the first indigenous peoples of Illinois; Illinois at the time of the Revolutionary War; women's history; the Civil War; immigration; forgotten Illinoisians; the Great Depression; and World War II.