3/17/2023 | Mark Hanson, Curator

Today is World Sleeping Day!

Or should that be World Sleeping Night?

In the spirit of good sleep, let's take a look at sleeping porches in our "A History of Healing" exhibit. Sleeping porches were popular in the beginning of the 20th century when it was believed that fresh air could help those suffering from tuberculosis.

From our A History of Healing exhibit--"Drive or walk through the older parts of your town where there are 80 plus year old houses. You may notice something odd. These homes have many varieties of porches, once called sleeping porches...these porches were unheated and had windows on at least two sides to catch as much cross-breeze as possible. The sick and the healthy alike slept outdoors all year long in an effort to prevent disease."

Stop by today to see the complete exhibit, exploring how Champaign County residents helped each other through various pandemics throughout history.

We're open daily from 1-5. We hope to see you soon!