McLean County Museum of History

The old McLean County Courthouse is an American Renaissance style structure built between 1901-1903 listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Since the 1980s this historic landmark has been home to the McLean County Museum, and most recently The Cruisin' with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center. Scharnett Architects and its predecessors have an honored history with preserving and restoring elements of the museum over the decades. Most recently architectural services included a new accessible south entrance, interior improvements for the Convention Visitors Bureau, renovation of museum galleries to improve lightning and accessibility, landscape improvements, historic lighting improvements, roof replacement, ongoing plaster repair and replacement, and energy efficiency improvements. Meticulously restoring the elements of the museum that provide its period specific character, using original materials whenever possible, is the hallmark of what it means to be an architecture firm specializing in historic preservation so that future generations can learn from, explore, and experience the history of our community.

No items found.

Opportunities

No Brass or Gas

Identifying lighting treatments that honored the original fixtures, brought the rotunda back to an era of glamour. Each individual tulip shaped fixture is identical to the others providing a visual consistency in the space. In addition, the light fixtures in the Governor's Room on the second floor of the museum were originally powered by gas lines. Modifying the fixtures to reflect the period design, while incorporating functionality that aligns with architectural building codes provided an opportunity to upgrade to beautiful glass globes, etched with designs and held by fixtures that mimic the tulip lights in the rotunda.

Paths

Museum exhibits are expertly designed to help visitors follow a path as they learn. In addtion to the exhibits themselves that tell a story, the lighting above helps direct their path. As exhibits change over time, the lighting needs to be flexible as well to move and pivot. Track lighting with fixtures that pivot in all directions allows for future changes to exhibits to be easily repositioned. Though not pictured, museum paths also must be accessible by all visitors, therefore the renovations also included removable ADA ramp components that appear to be fixed structures, but do not damage the original flooring and can be repositioned if the exhibit changes.

Roof Replacement

Though not often visible to visitors below, the roof of any historic building could arguably be the most important. When functioning properly it preserves what is inside. And historic roofs were not only functional, but beautiful with detailed dome structures, exterior clocks and adorned rails along the edges whose columns occasionally require replacement. The replacements, enhancements and restorations designed and implemented in 2021 are expected to last more than 30 years.

Testimonial