February 22, 2026 – The Illinois America 250 Commission has unveiled the first-ever Passport to Illinois, a limited-edition keepsake inviting residents and visitors to explore historic sites across the state as part of preparations for the nation’s 250th anniversary on July 4, 2026.
The free passport highlights 56 historic sites, museums and monuments that reflect Illinois’ role in shaping the nation’s history and ideals. Featured locations span the state and include the Kaskaskia Bell State Memorial, the Elijah P. Lovejoy Monument, the Western Illinois Museum, the Ulysses S. Grant Home, the McLean County Museum of History, the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture and the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum.
The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is also among the participating sites.
Passports are available at no cost while supplies last at public libraries, highway visitor centers and participating locations statewide. A digital version is available for download at il250.org.
The initiative was developed in partnership with several state agencies and organizations, including the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the Illinois Office of Tourism, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and Illinois Humanities.
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources manages a number of sites included in the passport, such as Lincoln’s New Salem State Historic Site, the Old State Capitol State Historic Site, Black Hawk State Historic Site, Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site and the Vandalia Statehouse State Historic Site.
In addition to the passport program, the commission is organizing other initiatives tied to the semiquincentennial, including Illinois United in Service, which encourages volunteerism statewide, and Illinois Voices 250, a project aimed at preserving Illinois residents’ reflections for inclusion in the Library of Congress.
Communities across Illinois are planning local and regional events to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. A calendar of events, partnership information and educational resources are available at il250.org.
