The Illinois State Museum in Springfield received recognition this week as one of the state’s top institutions in the museum field.    

The Illinois Association of Museums announced Tuesday that the State Museum has been named the 2018 recipient of the Leader Institution of the Year award, the highest honor given by the organization.

The State Museum is known for its outstanding work maintaining Illinois’ history and culture as well as its commitment to engaging with the community through popular family and youth programs that help foster an interest in the state’s history in young people.

In addition to its usual programs and events, the museum celebrated Illinois’ bicentennial in 2018 by providing an array of unique experiences, such as the production of daily “Bicentennial Minute” segments that discussed Illinois history for online listeners and by hosting an exhibition featuring rare artifacts from the 13.5 million object Illinois Legacy Collection.

The State Museum plans to continue expanding its programming in 2019 to provide an interactive and memorable experience to visitors.

“Our programming, special events, research and curation of our collections really do aim to share the story of Illinois,” said Illinois State Museum Interim Director Robert Sill. “It’s a great honor for the Illinois State Museum to receive the Illinois Association of Museums’ Leader Institution of the Year award. The re-emergence of the Museum has been a team effort by a great staff that understands and honors its legacy.”

The Illinois State Museum first opened in 1877 and has long been recognized as a leader in the museum community. The American Alliance of Museums called it “a national leader in the way it combines its unique collections, collaborative team approach, and specialized research capabilities along with its cutting-edge technology applications in support of exhibitions, public programs, and publications.”

The Illinois State Museum, at 502 S. Spring St. in Springfield, is open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from noon to 4:30 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $5 for adults ages 19-64. Admission is free for youth, seniors and veterans.