Traveling Exhibit

Traveling Exhibit

Our new traveling exhibit, Illinois Archaeology: The Deep Roots of the Prairie State, looks at where and how people have lived in Illinois for the last 12,500 years. It examines the archaeological evidence and what it reveals about how factors such as climate change and new technology altered the way people lived. The exhibit is a companion to a new book by ISAS called Archaeology of Illinois: The Deep History of the Prairie State, which was published in June.

The exhibit begins with the arrival of Illinois’ first residents, who came as the Ice Age’s glaciers retreated northward. Over time, populations increased and people began to spread across the state. Where and how they lived went hand in hand with their inventions, like the adze, earth ovens, ceramic technology, and agriculture. The arrival of the French and other Europeans in Illinois had profound effects on Native American lifeways. The exhibit concludes with the arrival of Euro-Americans and the forced removal of the Native Nations that had called Illinois home for millennia. This section includes an interesting examination of a group of artifacts that may be from the home of an enslaved African American man living on the Jackson and Perry County line in the mid to late 1810s.

Would you like to host this exhibit?

What's included?

  • 3 exhibit cases (8′ long x 2′ wide x 36″ tall) with full-color, graphic panels (94″ long x 36″ tall), and
  • 2 pop up banners (34″ wide x 84″ tall)

option 1: along a wall

option 2: as an island

Cost

There is no cost for a 4–6 week showing for schools, libraries, and non-profits. Donations to help ISAS cover transportation costs are appreciated.

Display Requirements

  • Minimal supervision during open hours, and the exhibit must not be accessible during non-public hours.
  • Set up the display to avoid direct sunlight.
  • Insurance: Your organization is responsible for all damage to the contents of the exhibition once it reaches your location. You must provide “Special Form” property insurance equal to the replacement cost of exhibit while it is at your venue.

ISAS Provides Transportation, setup, and takedown!

  • Three strong people to help unload/load our van and maneuver the crates to/from the exhibit space are required. The exhibit comes in three large crates (2′-6″ x 8′-2″ x 1′-7″). Each weighs 175 lbs.
  • One person to assist with assembly or disassembly is required. This involves lifting 40 pounds and getting down on the floor.
  • Set up and take down should take about 2 hours.

This exhibit was produced by the Illinois State Archaeological Survey, which is one of five scientific surveys that make up the Prairie Research Institute (PRI) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. PRI unites scientific expertise in geology, ecology and biodiversity, archaeology, hydrology and water, weather and climate, pollution prevention, and sustainable energy to benefit the people, economy, and environment of Illinois, the nation, and the world.