PEORIA MAGAZINE August 2023

S P O T L I G H T

STIMULATING ALL THE SENSES

Peoria Riverfront Museum is an extension of central Illinois’ educational system, on a mission to ‘unlock the full talent’ of thousands of schoolchildren

BY LISA COON PHOTOS BY RON JOHNSON

J ohn Morris is like a proud dad, grandpa or uncle. He’s quick to show off cellphone photos of schoolchildren with big smiles on their faces, holding up their fingers to show the number of times they’ve visited the Peoria Riverfront Museum. One, two, three – sometimes more – the kids display their digits. He loves telling the story about the young boy, maybe fourth or fifth grade, who proudly showed up on a free family pass day with some 10 members of his family. The young man acted as the guide, pointing out the displays, answering questions, leading his family on a tour. He was proud and beaming. That, Morris said, is what it’s all about – seeing young schoolchildren embrace what they’ve learned during visits to the museum – to their museum, he stresses. “The first thing we do is build con fidence. The second: Spark learning,” said Morris, who is in his seventh year serving as the museum’s president and CEO. “Confidence plus sparking learn ing, we think, unlocks the full talent of every individual.” It all points to the museum’s mission: to inspire lifelong learning for all, connecting art, history, science and achievement through collections, exhibitions and programs.

Children explore the Body Worlds Rx exhibit at Peoria Riverfront Museum

26 JULY 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE