Illinois State Museum opens Gen X exhibit

SPRINGFIELD (WGEM) - The Illinois State Museum announced that their new exhibition, Growing Up X, will open on Saturday at its downtown location.

The exhibit features toys, technology and cultural touchstones that the people of Generation X would have seen in their childhood. Items from the 1970s and 80s, like telephones with chords, record and cassette players and parachute pants will be on display.

The exhibit will also focus on how growing up in the shadow of the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the AIDS crisis and the War on Drugs shaped Gen Xers as individuals and a generation.

Growing Up X will have an immersive rec room where visitors can sit on a floral sofa, watch a movie on VHS, play a video game or listen to a record or cassette tape.

Visitors will also find a jukebox and interactive screens where they can watch commercials and news broadcasts from the 70s and 80s.

“We’re excited about this exhibition,” said ISM Curator of History Erika Holst. “We hope Gen X feels seen by this show – that they come in and say ‘I had that!’ or ‘I remember that!’ Beyond that, we hope this sparks some great conversations between Gen Xers and their kids and parents about different experiences had by different generations growing up.”

Growing Up X is on display at the Illinois State Museum in Springfield Jan. 28 through Sept. 4. Admission is free. Learn more on the Illinois State Museum’s website.