Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko, director of Illinois State Museum, passes away

Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko, who headed the Illinois State Museum since 2019, died Saturday, according to a statement from the Illinois Museum Association Board.

She was 50 and died following a more than year-long battle with cancer.

"Cinnamon’s moral compass was unwavering and pointed due north. She was driven by a deeply held desire to make the world a more inclusive place and ensure the past is portrayed accurately,” said new Illinois Department of Natural Resources Director Natalie Phelps Finnie, in a statement. “I’ve known few leaders like her. She was tough but kind, funny as could be, and she challenged us in ways that opened our eyes and made those around her want to do better for the people of this state. This is a heartbreaking loss, and her family will remain in our thoughts and prayers.”

In a tweet late Monday afternoon, Gov. JB Pritzker called Catlin-Legutko "a committed change agent who worked diligently to advance equity and inclusion in our state's historical sites and institutions. She leaves behind a great void, but her legacy and memory will forever live on."

Catlin-Legutko recently had been appointed by President Joe Biden to the Route 66 Centennial Commission. The centennial of the Mother Road is in 2026.

Catlin-Legutko, who had been a museum director since 2001, was selected to head the Springfield museum after a nationwide search. Previously, she had been president and chief executive officer of the Abbe Museum in Bar Harbor, Maine, which specializes in Wabanaki culture and history, from 2009 to 2019.

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Prior to her job in Maine, she led the General Lew Wallace Study and Museum in Crawfordsville, Indiana.

Catlin-Legutko took over at the Illinois State Museum for Robert Sill, who had been interim director since the retirement of Michael Wiant in early 2018.

"We lost an amazing woman who lived her life with the conviction that museums can do better, that equity is the only way forward and life is a joyful journey," Donna K. Sack, chairwoman of the Illinois State Museum System Board of Directors, said. "Her legacy will help us define our forward path."

During her tenure, she led efforts to ensure museum exhibits were more inclusive and representative of Illinois’ diverse population. She hired the State of Illinois’ first Tribal relations director to build relationships with Tribal Nations, ensure Illinois’ compliance with federal laws and facilitate the return of ancestors’ remains. She also chaired IDNR’s Diversity, Equity, Accessibility and Inclusion (DEAI) Committee.

The museum is part of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

A Facebook post from the Illinois Museum Association Board called Catlin-Legutko "an amazing force in the national museum community and when she accepted the position at ISM in the fall of 2019, her colleagues across the state were overjoyed.

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"The void that Cinnamon leaves will be impossible to fill, and we must remain inspired by her work and light. Cinnamon will be profoundly missed by all who knew her, but we know her work and spirited determination will live on in all those she touched."

Catlin-Legutko has served on several national museum boards, including the board of directors for the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) and the American Association for State and Local History. 

Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau director Scott Dahl said Catlin-Legutko's passing was a monumental loss for the travel, tourism and museum industry.

"She was the author of many books, TED talks, and her work with the museum industry was unique. I was very impressed with her work with the Juneteenth celebration and how the museum reached out to help with the celebration well before it was a city or state holiday and I think that's a huge insight to how she thought about not only the museum industry but humanity in general," Dahl said. "She was fairly new to Springfield but made an immediate impact and was a true leader. It's a terrible loss."

A native of Clinton, Missouri, Catlin-Legutko was a graduate of Purdue University and the University of Arkansas.

She is survived by her husband, Larry, and son, Jacob.

Kristin DiCenso, chief of staff for IDNR, said Catlin-Legutko was "not only a brilliant mind but also a beautiful soul, and we are heartbroken by the loss of this bright light. She was an inspiration to so many."

Funeral arrangements are pending.

Reporter Tiffani Jackson contributed to this story. Contact Steven Spearie: 217-622-1788, sspearie@sj-r.com, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie.