Updated: 11/15/2011 
Illinois Mennonite Heritage Center
Metamora, Illinois
Description

Promoting heritage awareness through programs, tours and exhibits, research and publication. Remembering Swiss-German Amish-Mennonite pioneers of 1830-1850 to central and northern Illinois, their rural settlements and their faith; acculturation, nuturing congregations involved with peace and justice concerns and urban missions in following generations. Preserving pertinent unique items for posterity.

History

The Illinois Mennonite Historical Society organized in 1969 with scheduled program meetings. Soon they began a historical and genealogical library. A museum in rented space and quarterly publication followed by 1974. Christian Sutter's large barn, with significant Amish roots, was re-erected in a barn-raising event at the society's new site near Metamora. Since 1984 The Heritage Center building houses the main museum, the library, an archives and a meeting room. A Grandfather House, farm museum and two windmills add to the prairie plot of native grasses, flowers, and trees.

Artifact Collections

The Heritage Center's main building museum, 6000 sq ft., houses home, school, congregational and medical objects. An African exhibit tells of the Congo previous to 1905 when Illinois Mennonite missionaries arrived there and changes leading to present indigenous leadership. Includes re-creation of an early twentieth century schoolroom and interior rooms of a home, and a pioneer room, as well as quilts and clothing unique to Amish and Mennonites, and others typical of the period and likely used by them, with emphasis on artifacts before 1930. The equally large farm museum features homemade and early hand tools, horse-driven machinery and a carriage, early engines to a 1951 fully restored John Deere tractor; and machinery from an early twentieth century wood-working shop powered by a gas engine and line shaft. The Sutter barn, furnished with necessities for care of farm animals and poultry and their produce, including harness and horseshoes, cream separator, egg grader, and lard press. In the Grandfather House of the early twentieth century, shows the stove for heat, a lantern for light, water pumped by hand and a chamber pot and there is an outhouse.

Research Collections

The library contains over 5000 pieces for research in Mennonite history and genealogy including periodicals and some materials on microfilm and computer disks. Rare books are present in the library and archival collections.
The Illinois Mennonite Archives includes personal collections, and collections from congregations and from organizations. Documents, family Bibles, photograph albums, photographs and charcoal drawings, maps and charts, cemetery records, newspapers, videotapes and reel-to-reel tapes are all included. An appointment is required to assure assistance for archival research.

Programs

Tour guides are available during open hours. Tour include the main museum, farm museum, Sutter barn, Grandfather house, and arboretum of native trees, prairie grass and flowers.

Governance

Illinois Mennonite Historical and Genealogical Society (same address as its Heritage Center)

Library

Access: General Public, Students, Scholars

Appointment required: False

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April 27 - April 29, 2025

Oregon Museum Association 2025 Conference

TBA

Independence, Oregon

Beginning in 2025, the OMA annual conference will be held in Spring rather than Fall

The conference this year is all about trying new things. We are hoping to organize the conference into the following four tracks: Collections Care, Leadership, Emergency Preparedness, and Tourism

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October 1 - October 4, 2025

Western Museums Association’s (WMA) 2025 Annual Meeting

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Reno, Nevada

Save the Date for WMA 202

As we celebrate our 90th anniversary, join us to build relationships and soar higher than ever before. With the theme of ELEVATE, WMA 2025 will explore ways to lift up the experiences of cultural professionals and the communities they serve.

In Reno, Nevada, 4,400 feet above sea level, we will forward the progress of museums by looking to the future.

May 6 - May 9, 2025

2025 American Alliance of Museums (AAM) ANNUAL MEETING & MUSEUMEXPO

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Los Angeles, California

AAM 2025 will focus on the theme, Museums & Trust.

Museums have long inspired high levels of public trust, surpassing news outlets, government organizations, researchers and scientists, corporations, and social media platforms. This consistent finding underscores our institutions’ unique position in society as stewards of knowledge, culture, science, and history—areas where credibility and reliability are paramount

In an era marked by mistrust and misinformation, museums have a rare ability to counterbalance the proliferation of false narratives and polarized perspectives. Using our trusted position, we can cultivate a more healthy, empathetic, and informed society.

But to do so, we must maintain our credibility proactively, embracing thoughtful, transparent, and collaborative practices that will defend against influences like bias, resource challenges, abuse of power, and social injustice

An Incredible MuseumExpo

AAM is again partnering this year with the Museum Store Association to host an incredible combined expo hall. Find the most innovative services, products, and solutions in the museum field. With 350 exhibitors, you are bound to find the right partner for your museum’s current challenges and opportunities.

May 5 - May 9, 2025

Museum Store Association FORWARD 2025 in LA

The Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles, California

Join MSA in LA

We’re excited about our next MSA FORWARD Conference & Expo in “The City of Angels” – Los Angeles, California in conjunction with the American Alliance of Museums

Join the Museum Store Association (MSA) and hundreds of nonprofit retail professionals for the 70th Annual MSA FORWARD Retail Conference & Expo, taking place May 5-9, 2025 at The Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California

Once again, MSA FORWARD will be held in conjunction with the 2025 American Alliance of Museums (AAM) Annual Meeting & Expo

Learn best practices and new ideas for store merchandising, operations, marketing, and sale

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Meet with over 200 MSA vendors about your product needs

Hear from knowledgeable industry experts during session breakouts and keynote presentations

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September 10 - September 13, 2025

2025 Am Assoc for State and Local History Annual Conference

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Cincinnati, Ohio

The 2025 AASLH Annual Conference, in partnership with Ohio Local History Alliance, will take place as the history field makes the final preparations to kickoff off the 250th commemoration of the founding of the United States.

The 2025 conference theme, inspired by AASLH’s Making History at 250: The Field Guide for Semiquincentennial, is an opportunity to broadly explore one of the guide’s themes, The American Experiment. For many in the American colonies in 1776, independence from Britain represented a “leap into the dark” into an unknown future

We are excited for you to join us in Cincinnati as we encourage discussion about our democracy and civic institutions and how they can help strengthen understanding, inspire action, and reveal ways that all of us can participate in and shape the ongoing American experiment.

For more information, please call 615-320-3203 or email info@aaslh.org.

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