EIU Media Relations

Public Invited to Opening of EIU’s Laboratory School Exhibit

The public is invited to attend the opening reception of a permanent exhibit Thursday honoring Eastern Illinois University’s Laboratory School.  

The reception will be the inaugural display of the new Lab School Museum located on the first floor of EIU’s Buzzard Hall, which was the home of the Lab School from 1958-1974.

EIU’s Lab School provided students in the community from grades kindergarten through 12th grade interdisciplinary education and cutting edge methods in teaching. It also provided a place for student teachers to learn through observation and teaching.

The lab school opened its doors in 1899 as the Model School, and then later was renamed as the Training School and then finally the Buzzard Laboratory School, before closing its doors in 1974.   

EIU’s historical administration graduate students produced the exhibit for the College of Education and Professional Studies. The exhibit is titled “Mission, Method, Memory: The Lab School at EIU.”

The opening reception will take place from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, April 9, in the atrium of Buzzard Hall.  

Check out the exhibit website to learn more about the history of the Lab School, view portions of the collection and check in on the progress as the historical administration students create the exhibit here.

For more information about the exhibit or the opening reception, contact Brian Failing at (630)-390-6735 or email here.

The exhibit would not have been possible without the support of Lab School alumni and former teachers, who have donated materials they saved from their time at the Lab School as well as provided memories that have helped to shape the exhibit.

For more information about the master of arts in historical administration program, click here.