“Illinois Archaeology: The Deep Roots of the Prairie State,” a travelling exhibit from the Illinois State Archaeological Survey, wil be displayed in May at Princeton Public Library.

“Illinois Archaeology,” which runs May 1-30, shows how people have lived in Illinois for the last 12,500 years. It examines the archaeological evidence and what it reveals about climate change and how new technology altered the way people lived.

To kick off the exhibit, the library will host a reception from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, May 1, 2026.

The exhibit begins with the arrival of Illinois’s first residents, who came as the Ice Age’s glaciers retreated northward. Over time, populations increased and people began to spread across the state.

The exhibit concludes with the arrival of Euro-Americans and the forced removal of the Native Nations that had called Illinois home for millennia.

“Illinois Archaeology” was produced by the ISAS, which is one of five scientific surveys that make up the Prairie Research Institute of the University of Illinois.

The exhibit is a companion to a new book by ISAS titled Archaeology of Illinois: The Deep History of the Prairie State, which was published in June.

The exhibit and reception are free and open to all. For more information, call the library at 815-875-1331 or go to princetonpl.org.