Dickson Mounds Museum, Lewistown, Illinois 

Eager-eyed schoolchildren tug at their parents’ wrists, pulling them toward the large, cavernous doors of the building waiting ahead. Youngsters and adults alike enter the quiet Illinois museum overlooking the Illinois River valley, about to explore a civilization more than 1,000 years old. 

Michael Wiant, Dickson Mounds Museum Director, said about 33,000 people visited last year, nearly 6,000 of whom were schoolchildren from the region surrounding Lewistown, Illinois, located 60 miles northwest of Springfield, Illinois. 

“People come from all over the country,” he said. “The majority of visitors are from Illinois. Europeans in particular seem to have a long fondness for the study of Native Americans, and we’ve seen visitors from Germany, Scandinavia, Norway and many other foreign nations.”

The Dickson Mounds Museum focuses on the history and development of the Native Americans in the Illinois River valley. The original excavation of the archeological site upon which the museum is based began in February 1927 by the Dickson family. 

Several permanent exhibits are open year-round at the 230-acre establishment, including hands-on displays. One exhibit focuses on the interaction between the Illinois River valley and the people who called it home, displaying large photographs and video programs.

Another feature of Dickson Mounds, lying just outside the museum walls, is Eveland Village, the excavated remains of three Native American buildings. The mounds themselves loom in the distance, grassy and serene, barely making an impact against the horizon. The untrained eye could easily mistake the ancient Native American burial tombs for generic Midwestern hills.

“It’s one of a small number of museums that are built at archeological sites,” Wiant said. “Someone interested in exploring the history of our country would find Dickson Mounds as an important place to visit as an archeological study into the people of the Illinois River valley.”

In addition to the permanent displays, the museum also hosts rotations of specialty exhibits. Most of these programs are interactive, led by educated and experienced museum staff, and the topics range from wildlife photography to seminars specifically directed toward educators.

Dickson Mounds also supports a number of fine arts programs and contests, including the Fulton County Arts Council’s “Art in the Park Workshop,” a dulcimer workshop and the Junior Duck Stamp Art Exhibit. Every third Saturday at 7:30 p.m., the museum hosts popular folk musicians from the surrounding Midwestern area. 

“[The mission of the museum is to] identify, describe and explain Native American cultural development as it relates to human development worldwide,” Wiant said.

In this sense, the museum is much more than a glimpse into the past: It is a commentary upon today’s society and how it compares to this past civilization.
The exhibits also strive to enlighten visitors about the life of Native Americans and dispel misunderstandings or distorted concepts.

“Many exhibits [point] out marvels of the ancient world,” Wiant said. “…[But] if I wanted to give someone a surprise, make them take a deep pause and wash away stereotypes they might have of Native Americans, I would show them our exhibit called ‘Gardening.’”

The exhibit focuses upon the development of agriculture by the Native Americans and offers a glimpse of how the development of modern agriculture stems from their ancient techniques.

As Wiant explains, the people in the Illinois River valley interacted with people thousands of miles away, influencing future cultures and civilizations. These were more than just small, isolated towns. It was a connection that would influence the development of societies across North America.

Wiant said his favorite aspect of his job as museum director is sparking curiosity. He’ll occasionally be found walking around the exhibit floor, answering questions and engaging visitors in discussions about the presentations.

Tours of the museum can be arranged prior to arrival, or visitors can proceed through the expanse at their leisure between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. at no cost. Visitors between the ages of four and eight can explore the Discovery Center, an interactive play zone with educational stimuli.

“We take our entire seventh grade to Dickson Mounds as a culminating project for a unit on Native American studies,” said Matt Jacobson, social studies teacher at Macomb Junior High School. “Kids love being an anthropologist for a day while they learn about Native American culture. Of course, the Dark Room is always a very reverent and meaningful experience that makes a dramatic and lasting impression on all who experience it.”

The Dark Room is a small theater equipped with surround sound where a meditative video is projected onto a white sheet-covered floor. The room replaces what used to be an exhibit displaying the excavated remains of Native Americans discovered at the site, but these were later returned to their original resting place due to protests from Native Americans and visitors.

Visitors are mesmerized as “Reflections on Three Worlds” plays below. Swirling prismatic arrays of color sweep across the screen as the gentle whisper of a flute reverberates through the hall.

The calm, melodic tone of the narrator immerses the listeners in the historic background and detailed culture of Native Americans. The multimedia presentation is a popular aspect of the museum, Wiant said. It offers a distinctive educational experience that draws the listeners in and envelops them in the culture and history of Native Americans.

The museum has evolved over the years. Starting as an archeological site, it has developed into a museum worthy of its goal: to respectfully educate and enlighten visitors about the culture and history of natives of the Illinois River valley and how they relate to humanity today.