A little known treasure in Springfield is the Illinois State Museum Paul Mickey Science Series. These free lectures are held monthly with the next one taking place Jan. 11. Dr. Jonathan Reyman, curator of anthropology at the museum, presents The End of Time: Maya, Aztec, Pawnee and Pueblo Views of the End of the World. The topic may grab your interest if you’ve heard all the end-of-the-world speculation based on the Mayan calendar. Though the Maya predicted a time cycle ending in approximately 2012, that ending is followed by the start of another 5,000-year cycle. Reyman will help you understand this cosmology and cyclical view of time that many peoples around the world hold, though he will talk only about four Native American groups. Note that the program is held at the ISM Research and Collections Center.

Access is from 10½ Street with parking in the west lot. The building is accessible.