The History Museum for Springfield is a great place to bring your group for an imaginative, educational experience! We offer a trip into the past of Springfield and Greene County, spanning pre-historic times to the early 1950s. Visiting groups can tour the permanent exhibits, special exhibits, view a ten-minute introductory video, and participate in hands-on activities. Where else could you see mastodon bones, try on a Civil War uniform, or use a washboard just as the pioneers did?

    The History Museum offers guided tours with trained docent for groups of up to 50 people. You can watch our ten-minute video which shows close ups of artifacts and features historic still and moving picture footage of our area. Our permanent exhibits tell Springfield and Greene County's story through the early 1950s, and our special exhibits highlight a variety of topics throughout the year. Three hands-on areas are available: participants can pretend they are Native Americans grinding corn into meal on a set of authentic grinding stones or imagine they are Union soldiers as they try on reproduction Civil War uniform and equipment or experience life before automation as they examine household items from pioneer times.

    We are located on the third floor of the historic City Hall Building on the northeast corner of Boonville Avenue and Chestnut Expressway. Public parking is available in the municipal lot to the east of City Hall and is accessible from Central Street. Our visiting hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10:30 am - 4:30 pm; if necessary, we can offer tours as early as 9:30 am. Admission for groups of ten or more is $1.00 per person We are ADA accessible and welcome those who are differently-abled.

    How can you schedule a tour? Call the Museum Educator at 417-864-1976. Please allow a minimum of two weeks advance notice if you wish to have a guided tour.

     Let The History Museum of Springfield - Greene County send your group or class back in time with its Traveling Trunk Program. Take advantage of these hands-on educational tools. Choose from one of the following:

   The Pioneer Experience (1830-1860)

   Civil War (1860-1865)

   Turn of the Century (1890-1910)

   World War II ((1936-1946)

   Local Native American History

   Lewis and Clark

   Greene County Local History
   and Government

     Each trunk is loaded with a wealth of educational resource materials: authentic and/or reproduction artifacts from the period, educator's handbook, annotated reading list, local photos, explanatory captions and text, reproducible activity and coloring sheets, classroom activities and discussion topics. The activities are designed for elementary students, but the trunks may be enjoyed by groups of all ages.

     The trunk by be checked out for one week, giving you plenty of time to incorporate it into your social studies or history lesson; use it as a component of multi-disciplinary study; illustrate a related theme with its contents or schedule an interpreter to present the trunk and its treasures.

     Please allow a minimum of two weeks advance notice to check out or schedule a trunk. Participants become responsible for the trunk and its contents during the loan period and are liable for damages or replacement costs.