The History Museum on the Square sits at the heart of downtown Springfield, occupying a handsome building on the public square that has long been the civic center of the city. The museum focuses on the history of Springfield and the greater Ozarks region, with permanent collections covering Native American history, the Civil War in the Ozarks, Route 66, and the development of the city from frontier outpost to regional hub.
One of the museum's most notable holdings is its Route 66 collection. Springfield was the city where Cyrus Avery — often called "the Father of Route 66" — promoted the highway's creation, and the museum documents this history with maps, photographs, and artifacts from the road's heyday in the mid-twentieth century. The museum is accessible and well-presented, with rotating exhibitions alongside the permanent galleries. Admission is free or by donation, and the downtown location makes it easy to combine with a walk along the square and a meal at one of the nearby restaurants.