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Venue: Spurlock Museum

Address: 600 S. Gregory St. , Urbana

Cost: Free

Entry Age: all

posted 3:37 pm Feb 12
modified 1:06 am Feb 14

Through an assortment of thousands of artifacts and replicas, the Spurlock Museum offers its visitors an insider’s look at the world’s diverse history and geography. There are five permanent galleries located within the two-floor facility. Upon entering the Central Core Gallery and looking around, the philosophy of the museum becomes apparent: Human diversity is something to be valued, and learning about the experiences of those before or different from us is essential to our own understanding.

All the galleries contain logically arranged artifacts that dig deep into a culture or geographic location. All the artifacts are described and given an explanation of their history. The walls are lined with information.

Connected to the Central Core Gallery is the Laubin Gallery of American Indian Cultures, complete with a full-size tepee. The Workman Gallery of Ancient Mediterranean Cultures is also found on the floor, and it is filled with a multitude of plaster replicas of famous statues that can be found all over museums in Europe.

The second floor is home to the Workman Gallery of Asian Cultures which features a Balinese Barong Ket, the Simonds Pyatt Gallery of European Cultures, Faletti gallery of African Cultures and Leavitt Gallery of Middle Eastern Cultures.

The museum also hosts temporary special exhibits and offers tours. There are interactive pamphlets available for kids as they tour the museum and a Learning Center, open during regular museum hours, with fun activities they can engage in.

Located at 600 S. Gregory Street in Urbana, the Spurlock Museum offers an easy escape from a daily routine in exchange for a glimpse into a vast array of cultures from around the world. Although not extensively detailed, the museum does a fantastic job conveying what certain cultures and time periods were about.

For more information, visit the Spurlock Museum website. The phone number is (217) 333-2360.