McLean County Museum of History

What is McLean County Museum of History?

The museum is the main holding of the county historical society, a nonprofit organization in Illinois. Its accreditation comes from the American Alliance of Museums, the national association that reviews museums against professional standards.

It stands on North Main Street in the heart of downtown Bloomington, surrounded by other historic buildings, which makes it an easy anchor for a walking tour of the city center.

History of McLean County Museum of History

Local residents formed the McLean County Historical Society in 1892 so the county's history could be studied and kept. The museum it runs moved into its present home downtown in 1991.

Bloomington and neighboring Normal were stops on Route 66 as it ran across Illinois, so the county's own story overlaps with the road's. Several of the buildings a short walk from the museum date from the decades before the highway arrived, and they give the exhibits a real-world backdrop.

Visiting McLean County Museum of History: tips

The museum is about 0.1 miles from the old road. Allow at least an hour. Several historic sites are within a short walk. The White Building, a five-story red brick commercial block from 1894–1895, is about 0.2 miles away. The East Grove Street District, with houses built between 1855 and 1915, and the Ruben M. Benjamin House, built in 1856 by a future governor of Colorado, are each about 0.4 miles off. Franklin Square, home of Adlai Stevenson I, a vice president, is about half a mile away. Restaurants are close by for a meal before or after your visit.