Central Illinois Has Stories to Tell.

Explore the People, places, and events that shaped our region.

Location

University of Illinois Springfield
First Floor, Public Affairs Center
One University Plaza
Springfield, IL 62703

Hours

9 a.m.- 5 p.m.

Parking Information 

Museum exhibit with people seated, discussing in a theater room.

Visit

Hours, directions, and exhibitions.

Plan Your Visit

Exhibits

Discover what is on display and our digital exhibits.

Exhibits
Exhibit space with lighting and labels.
Local History Check-In audience seated in a conference room listening to a presentation.

Learn

Find lesson plans, field trips, and resources.

Education

News

Exhibition with large portraits of people, dark silhouettes in foreground.
Sep 01, 2026
Exciting news: We’re back in the PAC!
Exciting News: We're Back in the PAC! The Sangamon Experience is thrilled to be back in our home at the Performing Arts Center. We look forward to…
Retro microphone with wheat stalks, sepia-toned graphic.
Oct 07, 2026
UIS Sangamon Experience to host free oral history workshops
The University of Illinois Springfield’s Sangamon Experience and UIS Performing Arts Center will host “Story Harvest,” a free afternoon of workshops exploring…
Cozy library with two people working at a wooden table, surrounded by bookshelves.
Jul 21, 2026
Sangamon Experience preserves Scott County history through digitization
The Sangamon Experience at the University of Illinois Springfield is preserving Scott County’s history through a partnership with the Winchester Public…
drone shot of UIS campus
Jun 28, 2026
UIS Sangamon Experience project preserving Scott County history through digitization initiative
The following story was published by River County News on June 28, 2026. The Sangamon Experience at the University of Illinois Springfield is preserving…
drone shot of UIS campus
Apr 06, 2026
Sangamon Experience announces new rural initiative
The following story was published by NPR Illinois on April 6, 2026. The Sangamon Experience at the University of Illinois Springfield has announced a…
Station wagon with passengers on Route 66, luggage on roof, green landscape.
Apr 06, 2026
Sangamon Experience launches rural initiative, inviting historical societies and teachers to apply
The Sangamon Experience at the University of Illinois Springfield announces the launch of its new rural initiative, a collaborative summer program designed to…
Combine harvester silhouetted against a vibrant sunset sky.
Nov 11, 2025
UIS-supported documentary wins Best Documentary Film at Route 66 Film Festival
“Soil and Soul: Farming in the Sangamon River Valley,” a documentary supported by the University of Illinois Springfield’s Sangamon Experience, has won Best…
Audience watching the premiere of Soil & Soul at UIS in November 2024, with a speaker at the podium.
Feb 12, 2025
“Soul & Soil: Farming in the Sangamon River Valley” selected for screening at Farm to Film Fest
The University of Illinois Springfield’s Sangamon Experience documentary, “Soil & Soul: Farming in the Sangamon River Valley,” has been selected for…

Events

No upcoming events at this time. Check back soon!
train cart in front of factory in downtown Springfield

Our Mission

Sangamon Experience provides a broad perspective of the history of the Sangamon region through the presentation of a wide variety of exhibitions and activities developed for and from multiple communities. Activities will include projects developed from oral histories, archives, images and other resources to encourage participants to effectively create their own sense of local history.

Sangamon Experience also provides a comprehensive online platform for the presentation of materials; engage local organizations as partners in the effort to seek out and present materials for exhibition and information; and coordinate a combined newsletter for activities of local interest.