Springfield’s History Museum on the Square Voted America’s Best New Attraction

KSMU | By Josh Conaway

Published January 10, 2020 at 2:52 PM CST

John Sellars, executive director of the museum, gives a speech at a celebration ceremony January 10.

USA Today has named Springfield’s History Museum on the Square as America’s #1 Best New Attraction after a nationwide vote.

Listen to the audio for the story here.

According to a release, the History Museum on the Square beat out 19 other candidates in the 10Best Reader’s Choice Award poll. Other attractions included theme parks, performance and art venues. The site’s editors chose the 20 attractions to be voted on, and participants voted to choose the top ten in December. 10Best is part of USA Today’s travel section.

Krista Adams is the director of development for the museum.

“We’re just so excited," Adams told KSMU. "It just shows the rest of the community and the rest of the nation what we already knew, that we have a great facility here in downtown Springfield. And we’re just so excited for people to come and visit History Museum on the Square.”

The newly renovated museum offers six permanent galleries, including Native American culture of the Ozarks, the founding of Springfield, the Civil War in Springfield, and the birthplace of Route 66.

To celebrate, the History Museum on the Square will be offering half-price admission this Saturday and Sunday (January 11 & 12).