*The Schingoethe Museum and Art Gallery will be closed Monday, May 6, 2013 until the fall of 2014.*
Aurora University is pleased to announce that the Schingoethe Museum and Art Gallery will be relocated to the new Welcome Center, a 21,000-sqaure-foot building that will serve vital purposes, in the fall of 2014. One wing of the Welcome Center will house the Schingoethe Museum with collections and exhibits oriented around a large central art gallery.
Watch this page for updates!
Questions? Please call 630-844-7843 or email museum@aurora.edu.
Our award-winning exhibits include:
- "Unraveling Revelations: Decoding the Prophetic Charts," curated by students in the MST2200 Museum Exhibitions course, Award of Excellence in Exhibitions from Illinois Association of Museums (2012)
- "M.A.I.Z.E. (Museum Artifact Inquiry ZonE) educational project," developed by Meg Bero and Randy and Debbie Steinheimer, Awards of Superior Achievement from Illinois Association of Museums and Illinois State Historical Society (2002, 2003)
- "Museum of the Mysteries," Curator: Meg Bero, Awards of Superior Achievement from Illinois Association of Museums and Illinois State Historical Society (2002, 2003)
- "Native Peoples of Illinois:1673-1835," Curators: Dr. Donna Bachman, Mary C. Kennedy, Meg Bero, Award of Superior Achievement from Illinois State Historical Society (2001)
- Nizhnoni Gallery and "The World of the Kachina," Curator: Meg Bero, Award of Excellence from Illinois Association of Museums (2003)
What is being said about the Schingoethe Museum:
"I really enjoyed visiting the Schingoethe Museum. I learned a lot and liked knowing it is a resource as a teacher." Aurora University Student
"I thought I knew a lot about Native Americans but visiting the museum enhanced my learning. It was especially helpful to see the maps and talk about culture and environment." Aurora University Student
"Incorporating different cultural educational traditions and educating students on different cultural religious traditions are only of benefit to the future student's education and acceptance of diversity." Aurora University Student
"An institution such as Aurora University (especially given its size) is extremely fortunate to have a museum and center such as the Schingoethe. The exhibits and lectures have enriched the content of my courses and bolstered the overall quality of my instruction." Aurora University Professor
"The presentation in the Schingoethe Center was engaging, drew the students in, presented them with much information that was new to them and drew them to the present issues of education and life in general for today's Native American. As we left the session I heard our students engaging in discussions about what the had learned, how they had never thought about things in quite that way. It was a wonderful experience for all of us." Aurora University Professor
"This museum is one of Aurora's hidden 'gems.' Thank you!" Teacher, Smith School
Volunteer Opportunities
Are you a life long learner? Do you enjoy working with the public? Would you like to make a contribution? If so, then why not become a Schingoethe Center Docent?
The Schingoethe Center is seeking enthusiastic volunteers to assist in giving tours to school age groups, ranging from pre-schoolers to adults. Museum docents are community members who serve on a volunteer basis and provide tours of the museum's collections to visiting groups of all ages. The goal of the docent is to enrich the viewer's museum experience and engage their interest.
"Docent" comes from the Latin docere, meaning "to teach." Consequently, education and staying current in Native American history and contemporary issues are of primary importance. As a result, docents are given training (no experience necessary) and privileges to the Schingoethe Library. Docents are important members of the museum and bring to their role a deep interest in Native American history and culture and a desire to share that knowledge with others.
The Schingoethe Center realizes that the commitment to be a docent is a gift of time and energy on the part of the
volunteers. This is why docents get to choose when they would like to assist. Tours are scheduled only on Tuesday-Friday mornings.
If you are interested in becoming a docent, please contact Meg Bero, Executive Director at (630) 844-7844
Image Above: Schingoethe Center Docents and Executive Director, Meg Bero at opening of "Celebrating 20 Years: Looking Back, Moving Forward"
