SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, March 9 - Thirty-six Illinois museums will receive a total of $19.7 million in state capital investments to improve their facilities and develop new exhibits, Gov. JB Pritzker announced today. The investments are made possible through the Illinois Public Museum Capital Grants Program, funded by the governor's bipartisant Rebuild Illinois capital program, the first in nearly a decade.

"Rebuilding Illinois means investing in all types of infrastructure that improve communities and the quality of life for local residents. That includes an investment in the museums that protect our cultural heritage and offer unique programs and events for visitors to enjoy," Gov. Pritzker said. "I am pleased to see the array of improvements and exhibits that will happen as a result of our 2022 Public Museum Capital Grants, made possible through the Rebuild Illinois capital program."

The Illinois Public Museum Capital Grants Program, administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, is open to any museum operated by local government or located on municipally owned land. The maximum grant award for projects is $750,000, and matching fundsare required in many cases based on museum attendance levels.

"Museums are an important economic driver and point of pride in communities throughout Illinois," said Colleen Callahan, director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. "Providing funding for capital improvements and exciting new exhibits helps to create jobs, attract more visitors, and boost local tourism."

The Illinois Public Museums awarded Capital Grants are listed below. More information about the Illinois Public Museum Capital Grants Program is available online at https://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/grants/Pages/Museum-Capital-Grants.aspx.

Illinois Public Museum Capital Grants 2021 Program Awards

Champaign County

Champaign County Forest Preserve District, Museum of the Grand Prairie, Discovery Garden - $726,900

Cook County

Arlington Heights Park District, 1908 Banta House Porch Restoration - $30,000 Chicago Academy of Science, Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum - $750,000 Chicago Children's Museum, Cleaner Air / Health and Safety Project - $572,500 Chicago History Museum, exterior building improvements - $750,000 Chicago Zoological Society, Seven Seas roof replacement - $666,600 Art Institute of Chicago, Michigan Avenue lobby, window removal and replacement - $750,000 Garfield Park Conservatory, Child Wild Nature Exploration Garden - $749,500 Glenview Park District, The Grove Interpretive Center Phase 2 exhibits - $375,000 Holocaust Memorial Foundation of Illinois, genocide exhibition - $750,000 Lincoln Park Zoo, capital improvements - $750,000 Museum of Science and Industry, parking garage exhaust fan system replacement - $200,000 National Museum for Mexican Art, Project Green Room: Setting the Stage for World Class Performing Arts - $750,000 Park Ridge PD, Wildwood Nature Center, Forestview renovation - $750,000 Schaumburg PD, Spring Valley Nature Center-Heritage Farm - $700,000

DuPage County

DuPage Children's Museum, "Questioners: Think. Question. Read. Play!" exhibit - $302,700 Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, Mayslake Peabody Estate - $750,000 Elmhurst Art Museum, roofing and HVAC renewal - $750,000 City of Elmhurst, community performance venue - $698,500 Itasca Park District, Springbrook Nature Center improvements - $375,000 Naperville Heritage Society, Naper Settlement Digital Experience Welcome Zone - $749,700 Wheaton Park District, DuPage County Historical Museum - $750,000

Kane County

Dundee Township Park District, Randall Oaks Zoo Small Animal Building - $750,000 Elgin Area Historical Society, Nancy Kimball Cobblestone House project - $64,200 St. Charles Park District, Primrose Farm Agricultural Lab - $750,000

Lake County

Lake County Forest Preserve District, Bess Bower Dunn Museum of Lake County, HVAC system modifications - $161,100

Lake/Cook counties

Buffalo Grove Park District, The Raupp Museum, educational gardens - $226,500

McHenry County

Crystal Lake Park District, Nature Center - $363,000

McLean County

City of Bloomington, Katthoefer Animal Building small exhibits, basement renovation - $750,000

Rock Island County

Rock Island County Forest Preserve District, Niabi Zoo Prairie Dog Exhibit - $436,100 City of Rock Island, Quad City Botanical Center Children's Garden Phase III - $750,000

Sangamon County

Springfield and Central Illinois African History Museum (City of Springfield), African American History Museum expansion - $662,545 City of Springfield, Kidzeum STEAM Center - $355,400

Winnebago County

Rockford Art Museum, D/E Riverfront Museum Park HVAC replacement project - $301,000 Rockford Park District, Tinker Swiss Cottage Museum - $104,000 Discovery Center Museum of Rockford, capital improvement project - $433,200