Our Mission

The Museum of the Grand Prairie, as part of the Champaign County Forest Preserve District’s Museum and Education Department has aligned its mission with the CCFPD. Our mission is to collect, preserve and interpret the natural and cultural history of Champaign County and East Central Illinois for all generations.

Our Vision

Is to inspire audiences to create connections to our natural and cultural history.

Our History

The Museum of the Grand Prairie was founded in 1968 as a facility of Champaign County Forest Preserve District. The founding collection, that of William Redhed, was comprised of objects from a pre-industrial age. For 40 years the museum was called the Early American Museum, as Redhed preferred that name.

Thousands of artifacts representing our diverse history and population have been added since that time. Thus, In 2011 we changed our name to reflect our county’s cultural and natural history. The term Grand Prairie, a 19th century designation for the vast untamed American Midwest, recalls our cultural and natural heritage

Our Values

Respect - We respect the Grand Prairie’s diverse cultures, environment, and resources.

Engagement - We engage our community through collaboration with all people in Champaign County and East Central Illinois.

Wonder - We spark awe and wonder in our audiences through all the learning experiences we provide.

Innovation - We lead our field in professional practices, innovating new methods and fresh ideas.

Integrity - We act with integrity in all our work, ethically and professionally.

Empowerment - We empower each other, throughout the CCFPD, by sharing and developing expertise through teamwork.

Our Accomplishments and Plans

Strategic Plan

The Museum and Education Department of the Champaign County Forest Preserve District has developed a Strategic Institutional Plan, aligned with the Strategic Plan of the district. Click here for the short version of the plan. For a more in depth version, contact us at museum@ccfpd.org.

Accomplistments

The Museum of the Grand Prairie has been an American Alliance of Museums (AAM) accredited museum since 1972. We’ve passed four reviews by the Alliance. AAM Accreditation brings national recognition to a museum for its commitment to excellence, accountability, high professional standards, and continued institutional improvement. Developed and sustained by museum professionals for 50 years, AAM’s museum accreditation program is the field’s primary vehicle for quality assurance, self-regulation, and public accountability. It strengthens the museum profession by promoting practices that enable leaders to make informed decisions, allocate resources wisely, and remain financially and ethically accountable in order to provide the best possible service to the public.

Staff Directory

Museum and Education Department

Kamryn Suttinger
Kamryn Suttinger
Director of Museum and Education
Stacey Clementz
Stacey Clementz
Youth Programs Manager
Chelsea Prahl
Chelsea Prahl
Public Programs Manager
Mark Hanson
Mark Hanson
Curator of Collections & Exhibits
Jessica Smith
Jessica Smith
Collections Coordinator
Robert Diehl
Robert Diehl
Collections Assistant

At the Museum of the Grand Prairie

John Bien
John Bien
Public Program Specialist
Selena Gonzalez
Selena Gonzalez
Education Program Specialist II
Marina Montez-Ellis, Garden Program Specialist at the Museum of the Grand Prairie
Marina Montez-Ellis
Garden Program Specialist
Allie Love
Allie Love
Education Program Specialist I
Kathy Love
Kathy Love
Customer Service/Retail Associate
Mel Wiegel
Mel Wiegel
Customer Service/Retail Associate
Erin Morrison
Erin Morrison
Customer Service/Retail Associate
Ren Lashley
Ren Lashley
Customer Service/Retail Associate

At Homer Lake Interpretive Center

Jennifer Wick, Public Program Specialist at the Museum of the Grand Prairie
Jennifer Wick
Public Program Specialist
Kathrina Jackson
Kathrina Jackson
Interpretive Naturalist
Jeremy Cagle
Jeremy Cagle
Office Specialist
Patrick Ahasic
Patrick Ahasic
Education Program Specialist II