A temporary exhibit highlighting the 150-year history of the Dominican Sisters of Springfield, including their beginnings in Jacksonville, opens on Saturday, April 1 at the Jacksonville Area Museum in downtown Jacksonville. The exhibit may be seen through July 31, 2023.
“Dominican Sisters of Springfield, Illinois: Celebrating 150 years for the Life of the World” consists of six exhibit panels and a case of artifacts including historic photographs, publications, medallions, and dolls attired as Dominican Sisters during periods of their century-and-a-half history. The exhibit was developed by the Dominican Sisters and installed by the Sisters and the Jacksonville Area Museum. The Dominican Sisters exhibit may be viewed during the museum’s regular hours of operation on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m.
“We are proud to host this exhibit that speaks not only to those of the Catholic faith but to anyone who is interested in learning about this important, but often overlooked, aspect of our local and area history,” said Jacksonville Area Museum Board Chairman Allan Worrell. “This is just the latest in our series of temporary exhibits that seek to keep our museum experience interesting and engaging for first-time and returning visitors.”
The six panels of the Dominican Sisters exhibit include: Beginnings, including information about the Sisters’ first convent and St. Patrick School in Jacksonville; Years of Growth; Continuity and Change; Broadening Our Horizons; Preaching from the Pulpit of Our Lives; and Facing the Future with Hope. The original artifacts on display represent important parts of the Dominican Sisters’ story and help to illustrate the Sisters’ impact on people from the region, the nation and several foreign countries.
The Jacksonville Area Museum is located in the old Post Office building at 301 E. State St. There is no admission fee, but a donation of $5 is suggested to keep the museum operating.