State of Illinois

08/10/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/11/2026 11:05

Dana-Thomas House and Old State Capitol State Historic Sites to host family fun zoo events this fall

SPRINGFIELD - Springfield State Historic Sites, in partnership with Henson-Robinson Zoo, will offer expanded family programming this fall with the return of Zoo Booth and the debut of the new Building for Wildlife workshop series at the Dana-Thomas House and Old State Capitol state historic sites.

Zoo Booth brings Henson-Robinson Zoo animal ambassadors to downtown Springfield several times each month, allowing families and visitors to meet live animals while learning about wildlife, conservation and animal care. Most programs will take place in the historic courtyard at the Dana-Thomas House State Historic Site, with select dates and rain locations at the Old State Capitol State Historic Site.

Admission to Zoo Booth programs is free, and no reservations are required.

The new Building for Wildlife workshop series offers hands-on projects that help participants create habitat for native wildlife. Designed for adults and youth ages 12 and older, the workshops provide an opportunity for families to build projects together using hand tools. Each workshop lasts about 75 minutes.


In the event of inclement weather, workshops scheduled at the Dana-Thomas House courtyard will be moved to the Old State Capitol. Online registration is available for the Building for Wildlife workshops on the State Historic Sites of Springfield Eventbhttps://dnr.illinois.gov/rite.

Zoo Booth schedule

August

  • Monday, Aug. 24, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Dana-Thomas House. Rain location: Old State Capitol, noon-3 p.m.
  • Saturday, Aug. 29, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Dana-Thomas House. Rain location: Old State Capitol, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

September

  • Friday, Sept. 11, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Dana-Thomas House. Rain location: Old State Capitol, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
  • Friday, Sept. 25, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Dana-Thomas House. Rain location: Old State Capitol, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

October

  • Friday, Oct. 2, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Dana-Thomas House. Rain location: Old State Capitol, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
  • Friday, Oct. 16, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Dana-Thomas House. Rain location: Old State Capitol, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

November

  • Friday, Nov. 6, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Old State Capitol
  • Saturday, Nov. 21, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Old State Capitol

December

  • Wednesday, Dec. 2, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Old State Capitol
  • Wednesday, Dec. 16, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Old State Capitol

Building for Wildlife workshops

  • Friday, Oct. 16, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., bat house workshop at the Dana-Thomas House
  • Friday, Nov. 6, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., black-capped chickadee birdhouse workshop at the Old State Capitol

About IDNR


The Illinois Department of Natural Resources was established in 1925 as the Illinois Department of Conservation, bringing under one umbrella oversight of fish and game, forestry, public works, and lakes. Today, IDNR's work encompasses management of about 400 sites across Illinois, including state parks and historic sites; wildlife, fisheries, forestry, and natural heritage; Lake Michigan water allocation and coastal management; conservation police; mines and minerals; oil and gas; issuance of licenses, permits, and numerous grants; the World Shooting and Recreational Complex in Sparta; and the Illinois State Museum. Visit https://dnr.illinois.gov and follow us on Facebook , YouTube and LinkedIn .
State of Illinois published this content on August 10, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on August 11, 2026 at 17:05 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]