Tour reservations are required for all groups of ten or more (whether the group is guided of self guided), to ensure
that each group will be able to enjoy a full Museum experience with
the least amount of interruption or distraction. All tour reservations must be made a minimum of three weeks in advance.
In addition to selecting a date, please make sure to review the other information needed when reserving your tour or program.
Regularly updated information
on available dates for Museum tours and outreach programs follow.
Tour Availability
Tours can be reserved for Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays between 9 AM and 5 PM and Saturdays between 10 AM and 4 PM. To reserve your Spurlock Museum tour, please contact Brook Taylor (Office hours Tuesday through Saturday) at 217/265-0474 or taylorb@illinois.edu (email link).
The following dates are available for guided tours:
School outreach programs can be reserved for Wednesdays between 8 AM and 5 PM. To reserve your Spurlock Museum outreach program, please contact Brook Taylor (Office hours Tuesday through Saturday) at 217/265-0474 or taylorb@illinois.edu (email link).
The following dates are available for outreach programs:
To cover everything in one phone call, please have the following information at hand:
the desired program
the date and time you wish to visit-check the Museum's availability before calling
the number and grade of the students involved
your contact name, phone number, and email address
the address and phone number of your school or group
any questions you may have about your program or the Museum
any special needs and other relevant information
If you are requesting a multi-session outreach visit, also include:
the number of classrooms involved, the number of students in each classroom, and teacher contact information for each classroom
a schedule for the day
Please Note:
Our tours are created to engage your students for the full time they are scheduled to be in the building. If you desire your Museum time to be spent in activities other than those in the tour description, (i.e. filling out school-created worksheets, completing teacher-created activities, etc.) please inform the Museum when you reserve your visit. In order for our docents to help the students accomplish their specific assignments, we require a copy of the worksheet/activity sheet at least 3 weeks before the visit.
The Spurlock Museum now has funding to assist area schools in covering the costs of our programs. Assistance is available in the categories described below on a first come, first served basis and is limited to annual fund availability, so apply early. Grant applications may be requested from Kim Sheahan at (217) 244-3355 or ksheahan@illinois.edu (email link).
Ancient Connections: Financial Help for the Study of Ancient Cultures
Through the generous support of the Pamela J. Knight Exploring History Educational Fund, groups reserving programs and tours listed as "Ancient Connections" will receive assistance with program costs. The Fund may be used to cover one of the following per group per school year:
Coverable costs
bus costs for one in-house Ancient Connections tour or program
the charge for one educator outreach visit for an Ancient Connections program
Making Your Debut: Financial Help for First-Time Visitors
The Museum has a limited number of grants available to teachers who are visiting the Museum with their classes for the first time. The grants will cover bus costs for tours and programs held in the Museum or Museum educator costs for outreach programs.
Helping Hand: Financial Help for Schools in Need
A limited number of grants are available to teachers from schools in which 40% or more of students received free/reduced lunch. The grants will cover (per school, per year) the bus costs for one tour or program held in the Museum or Museum educator costs for one day’s outreach programs.
