Bishop Hill State Historic Site
IHPA Bishop Hill State Museum
The Olof Krans Bishop Hill Collection
Bishop Hill State Historic Site is an open-air museum. Visit Utopia on the Prairie.
Four historically significant buildings are owned by the State of Illinois and are maintained as part of the Bishop Hill State Historic Site. These architectural treasures are the two-story Colony Church (1850), the three-story Colony Hotel (1852-ca. 1860), the Boys Dormitory (ca. 1850), and the Colony Barn (the mid-1850s) that has been relocated behind the Hotel. Also, the central village park contains a reconstructed gazebo and war monuments. On the south edge of the village stands a new brick Museum to house a comprehensive collection of paintings by colonist and self-taught artist, Olof Krans (1838-1916) the largest collection of Olof Krans folk art in the world. Hours and days of operation change with the season. Please call to confirm your visit. Additional offerings include a 10 minute Bishop Hill orientation video, and visitor information.