SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Illinois State Museum (ISM) will host the Mobile Museum of Tolerance (MMOT) on Wednesday, February 23, 2022, from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. directly in front of its building at 502 South Spring Street, Springfield, Illinois.

Developed in collaboration with the Midwest office of the Simon Wiesenthal Center and the Illinois State Board of Education, the Mobile Museum of Tolerance is a free, traveling museum and classroom. Led by an Illinois licensed educator, it aims to inspire people to use their voices to speak up against anti-Semitism, bullying, racism, intolerance, and hate.

The Illinois State Museum invites the public to visit the Mobile Museum of Tolerance throughout the day to engage in dialogue and participate in immersive experiences. In celebration of Black History Month, the content will focus on the actions of Black activists during the Civil Rights Movement. Visitors will engage in conversations about racism, discrimination, and strategies for taking action. The experience is suitable for 5th-grade students through adults.   Admission is free for guests to visit the Mobile Museum of Tolerance and Illinois State Museum. However, all guests must observe health and safety protocols. A limited number of visitors are allowed on the bus at any one time, wearing masks and practicing social distancing. The public may also view the Mobile Museum content virtually at www.mmot.com.   About the Illinois State Museum                              Established in 1877, the Illinois State Museum is a dynamic institution that inspires the exploration of Illinois’ past and present to inform and enrich everyday life and promote stewardship of cultural and natural resources. Headquartered in Springfield with branch facilities in Lewistown and Lockport, ISM is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and a proud member of the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience. Learn more at illinoisstatemuseum.org.

About the Mobile Museum of Tolerance Over the last several years, there has been an historic rise in acts of intolerance and biased-based hate crimes. The Mobile Museum of Tolerance (“MMOT”) is the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s (“SWC”) newest educational initiative and tool created to combat these acts.The first-of-its-kind in the United States, the (MMOT) is a free, traveling museum and classroom. The purpose of the MMOT is to inspire people of all ages and backgrounds to use their voices to speak up against anti-Semitism, bullying, racism, intolerance and hate in all forms.

###