Exhibitions

Art and educational exhibitions illustrate transformative moments in Missouri and U.S. history. The State Historical Society of Missouri houses exhibition galleries at the Center for Missouri Studies in Columbia. SHSMO also provides materials for display in galleries and exhibition spaces across the state.

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In Their Own Words: Celebrating the National Women and Media Collection

July 6 – December 23 2022 | Center for Missouri Studies, Columbia

Celebrating the 35th anniversary of the National Women and Media Collection, In Their Own Words features the voices of important women working in media straight from their diaries, letters, and interviews. Visitors will learn of their struggles and triumphs in the media industry and how these journalists were able to navigate careers in a traditionally male-dominated industry.

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MOda 200: Missouri Style Makers, Merchants and Memories

March 11 – June 17 2022 | Center for Missouri Studies, Columbia

In collaboration with the Missouri Historic Costume and Textile Collection, this exhibition highlights the evolution of Missouri style and the important role of the apparel industry—from rural dressmakers to urban retail and manufacturing giants—in the state’s economic development.

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Black Health and Wellness: A Selection of Historical Images

February 11 – May 21 | Ellis Library, University of Missouri–Columbia

Featuring artworks and photographs from historic collections at the State Historical Society of Missouri, this exhibition exposes the difficulties and achievements African Americans experienced related to healthcare and wellness throughout the 20th century.

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Artwork depicting a horse running with a train in background

Domesticated Animals & American Identity: A Selection of Artworks by George Caleb Bingham & Thomas Hart Benton

January 25 – December 23 2022 | Center for Missouri Studies, Columbia

Many of the animals we associate with America are not American at all. Horses, cows, and most other domesticated livestock were introduced into North America by European colonists. Their presence in this selection of artworks by George Caleb Bingham and Thomas Hart Benton subtly represents European colonization and the complex cultural and environmental issues associated with “civilizing” the native “wilderness.”

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Missouri Bicentennial Quilt at the Center for Missouri Studies

Missouri Bicentennial Quilt Final Tour

December 14, 2021 – September 15, 2022 | Touring Statewide (check schedule)

The Missouri Bicentennial Quilt is on its final tour of State Historical Society of Missouri statewide research centers. Visit SHSMO-Rolla from May 3 through June 14 for a chance to see this unique Missouri treasure.

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Show Me a Bicentennial!

August 3, 2021 – June 24, 2022 | Center for Missouri Studies, Columbia

Exploring the process of bicentennial planning, Show Me a Bicentennial! illustrates how Missourians came together to commemorate Missouri’s diverse past and present, and, importantly, where we want to be in the future.

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David Plank: Missouri on the Wing

October 27, 2020 – June 11, 2022 | Center for Missouri Studies, Columbia

Artist David Plank has devoted his life to the artistic study of Missouri’s birds. Unlike some wildlife artists, Plank never bases his images on photographs. Instead, he creates field studies and bases his finished paintings on these sketches. Plank’s images are thus a direct record of his intimate observations of the birds of Missouri.

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