The Museum of Funeral Customs

Let's just say that April & I are among the only people who do searches of towns we plan on visiting and get all squoozy inside at the thought of heading to a place called The Museum of Funeral Customs. That's probably among the many reasons we get along so well.

The museum is exactly what it sounds like. When you head out to Springfield, Illinois you are certain to encounter a whole lot of history. Old Abe Lincoln and his crazy antics are to be found everywhere within the city. Naturally you'd want to head out to Oak Ridge Cemetery to see Lincoln's tomb and the most excellent war memorials found within the cemetery. I can't recommend highly enough that you make a stop at The Museum of Funeral Customs, which is conveniently located at the entrance of Oak Ridge Cemetery.

Admission is very reasonable at $3.00 for adults and it is a self-guided tour. Inside you learn about things you likely never would have considered learning about before such as the history of embalming, funeral rites & customs throughout the ages, and all about proper mourning attire & mourning periods.

There are many extremely interesting and tasteful displays of various caskets and preparation rooms. You will find fascinating photos of funerals and wakes from around the world. Of course, there's a wealth of information about the preparation, transport, services, and interment of President Lincoln. All told, there's a lot of great things to see and enjoy in this museum.

How we deal with death seems to have a great correlation to how we deal with life. Our traditions and customs hold a mirror up to the way we live our lives today. Being in this museum does not at all reflect some morbid curiosity with death, but rather creates an appreciation for life and a greater understanding of death.

This is a MUST if you are in the Springfield area.

When we get our film back I'll be sure to post some snapshots for you. Until then please enjoy their website and these scans I made from their brochure.