This is a gem of a museum. We were surprised at just how big it is. The displays are well…read moreorganized and the film is interesting. The steam boat was a bonus. The staff was also helpful and very knowledgeable. A must see.

This museum was more than we bargained for. It was only 5 dollars a person! We learned plenty about…read moreBuffalo Bill, but there's also a lot of history on the Mississippi River, Iowa history, LeClair history, and other US history. There's also an old one room school house! There is so much information here and so much to see that you could easily spent 4+ hours if you were thoroughly reading everything. The staff was very friendly and gave us some recommendations on other things to check out in LeClair as well.

We were lucky to arrive at the this visitor center just when a barge was entering the locks. It…read morewas slow going but very interesting to see the entire process. The ranger in the building helped explain what was going on below in the lock. There are many different displays that describe the lock system from St. Paul to St. Louis. Very educational. Good views of the river. The one downside of visiting this place is that you need to get a visitor pass since this is on the Rock Island Armory military base. You need a valid US ID and have to fill out a form, etc. Once the form is completed it took almost five minutes per person to go through the process and get an ID issued. If there are more than a couple of people in line you could easily be waiting 30 minutes. This pass does let you go to the Military Museum and access other recreational facilities on the base. You've been warned!

First off, the visitor center isn't where Yelp shows it (at least not on my map it isn't), but the…read moresigns are pretty easy to follow - if you get to the clock tower you are across the street from the center. Your experience will depend on whether something is going through the lock. We arrived as a tug and some barges were finishing their transition to go down river. You get to see the lock filling and also get to see the bridge swing around to let the barges through. There was a ranger (?) there and he was very enthusiastic and knowledgeable. There is real very little else to see if nothing is happening at the lock. As you drive around the arsenal (and I do recommend that you drive around some) and see something approaching the lock, get over there!

I'm including the Arsenal as well as it is beyond awesome:…read more The Government and US Military are to be commended for their openness to allowing civilians on this active site, one deeply vital to our history. It's a gorgeous location packed with so many historical buildings. A car is needed as the place is massive. You will need your ID to check in at the Visitor Center to pass a brief screening procedure. They are fast and friendly. If you do the museum as well, give yourself 2-3 hours for the place which is only accessible from the Moline, Illinois side. Plenty of free parking.

It's a very nice museum. It tells the story of the history of the island and especially the arsenal…read morein a very easy to follow manner. Let's of weaponry on display to geek out over. Free to visit but you have to go through the security clearance procedure to get on the base.

This is fun place to go, the price is right and you can learn with out feeling you are being…read moretaught. I was in town for a couple days, my daughter loved it. You should plan to spend a couple hours here at least so you can appreciate what they have to offer.

This is a really neat museum to check out, and I can guarantee that you'll walk out of here with…read moresome fun facts that you learned! I was really surprised with how much this science center had to offer for being in such a small city, we spent a few hours trying to get through everything. We were also here on a Saturday AND a holiday weekend, and had the whole place to ourselves! There are a lot of different exhibits here, so there'll be easily something for everyone. Space, nature, cultures..... even some interactive areas! They also have an IMAX theater, which we didn't do, but it seemed really nice! We really enjoyed our visit here! It's a great place to stop for all ages if you've visiting Davenport.

Very family oriented. Great place to take young children or grandchildren. Easy to find and plenty…read moreof parking.

So much for kids to see, touch and interact with! Our family spend over 3 hours during our road…read moretrip exploring this amazing space. Our kids age range from 1-7 and everybody was engaged and having so much fun!

What an amazing jewel ! We were surprised and pleased to go to this museum!! It was so…read moreinformative and had a nice gift shop as well.

"Pearl Button Museum" may not seem like the most thrilling adventure to take, but I found it to be…read morevery informational about the history of the industry, the city of Muscatine, and the regional as a whole. The impact of the mussels, pearls, and the resulting pearl button on the the region was much more fascinating than I would have imagined. Definitely worth stopping in and spending a bit of time if you're in Muscatine.

The museum is awesome!! So much to see and learn. The wildlife is incredible to see. We saw a very…read moremajestic bald eagle up close. We experienced the steam engines running and visited with the curator for a bit to learn even more. The movies were very well done. The fact that your tickets are good for two days allows you to take your time. Worth every penny and your time!!! A must see!!

Took a quick day cruise out to Dubuque Iowa. Yeah I know Iowa right. Fun little town located on the…read moremississippi river. Spent about 2 hours at the Mississippi River museum.Looking at the animals , checking out the museum,river and the exhibits outside. There was multiple movies and exhibits about early travel on the mississippi river and also real boat engines of steamboats and other river vessels. We spent about two hours there , exploring the inside and the outside of the museum. Very enjoyable and inexpensive experience for people of all ages.

A cute rail car that has been used as a museum. I wish they had a docent there who was trained in…read morethe history more. You have to just rely on the one page sheet they have and peruse the displays. What is bizarre is the camera set up to show you the railway right behind the car - why? If the windows were open you could see it (but I understand the need to keep sunlight off the displays). The ladies lounge when you walk in is the coolest part of the train.

These folks are clearly doing what they can with limited resources. It was a treat getting to see…read morea preserved rail car. This museum also contains photographs, uniforms, and other memorabilia. The museum is staffed seasonally, weather permitting. We found it open on a Sunday morning in mid-September, but Colleen told us they'd probably be closing for the season a in a couple weeks. This museum was especially great because we were in Carroll County for the weekend to indulge my genealogical hobby. My ancestors on my mom's side came to the Salem Township area of what is now Carroll County in the 1840s from Darmstadt in the Grand Duchy of Hessen (Germany after 1871). My goal was to find resources to help in my research of the lives and times of my ancestors, and of living relatives whom I've never met. (Unlike the TV commercials, genealogical research is a LOT harder than subscribing to Ancestry.com, then downloading movies of your well-dressed, attractive ancestors.) Based on my late mother's comments from many years ago, I believed my grandfather, Charles. W. Schriner, had left the farm and taken work in town with the railroad. I had been able to verify her recollection to the extent that the 1910 and 1920 censuses listed a Charles Schriner with an occupation of Freight Clerk with the railroad. But that's all I had to work with. I still don't know what Grandpa Charles looked like, or how he lived in Carroll County after his wife and daughters left town around the time of WWI. I was hoping against hope to find an old photo at the Train Car Museum identifying Grandpa Charles. And there were quite a few group photos dating from the early 1900s. But while Grandpa Charles may have been in one of these photos, none named him. But I found the next best thing. Lying in a display case was an open Railroad Time Book which included an entry for "Chas Schriner" ("Chas" was a common abbreviation for "Charles," and "Schriner" is how my family spelled it (versus the far more common "Schreiner"). I'd found a first-hand record of Grandpa Charles! Sadly, however, 54-year-old Grandpa Charles wasn't working in September 1922 as a Freight Clerk, much less as something sexy like a Superintendent, Engineer or Fireman. No, Grandpa Charles was working at the age of 54 as a mere Laborer ... and not much at that either. Grandpa Charles apparently only worked one day in the first half of the month ... 8 hours on the 11th of September in 1922 ... and he seems to have been paid only $2.94 for the work. Yikes. What a life. Regardless, this is the way it usually goes in genealogical research ... even at its best. Ancestors found working at anonymous, lackluster jobs is the norm. Few of us actually have relatives who commanded armies, made great fortunes, or moved society. Fewer yet are related very closely to Cleopatra, Napoleon, or George Washington. But then, even my more successful farmer relatives didn't make it into any history books ... even though they came to northwest Illinois when there weren't even towns there yet, and even though the farms they scratched out of the wild prairie were the very foundation of all the wealth eventually generated in Carroll County. Nope. It was the self-promoting bankers, merchants, and politicians who got all the notoriety in the local histories, and whose names are now recorded on historical plaques in front of the grand old houses in places like Mt. Carroll. The ancient names "Schreiner" and "Schriner" are now mainly found inscribed on headstones in the Mt. Carroll, Chadwick, and Lanark cemeteries. Anyhoo ... thanks, Ron, Colleen, and all the other volunteers who devote their time and energy to preserving these little bits of our past. It's a rare devotion, and getting rarer all the time when the almighty buck seems to be all anyone cares much about. You folks are doing important work, and it's very much appreciated!

Could the Sawmill Museum be Clinton's best kept children's activity secret? It's a definite…read morecontender in my book. Very unexpected museum right by the riverfront. I had no idea of Clinton's rich history as a logging mecca. The animatronics of the leaders of the logging industry was a nice touch. Children are free to run around and explore the various exhibits. I thought the replica of the logging cabin where workers lived was particularly impactful. There were maybe 3 bed areas in a tiny cabin and the information posted said something to the effect of up to 50 men lived in that small space. The large water table where you can explore how the logs got shipped down the river was fun for kids. Use the provided smock as the kids will get water on them. Excited for the forthcoming Thomas Dambo exhibit the museum seems to be spearheading.

This could be a wonderful educational place however I'm guessing extremely understaffed. The video…read moredemonstration s were not working. There was not anyone who could answer our questions about the displays which were not self-explanatory. There was a birthday party for young kids going on and they were running all over the museum. I was very disappointed in our visit. I hope things will improve soon

I went on a date with my boyfriend to visit the National Czech and Slovak Museum. Staff at the…read morefront desk was very friendly and helpful about the exhibit. It turned out to be a really neat exhibit, with lots of interesting information provided everywhere you turned. I liked seeing the rotating mannequins displaying the different outfits worn by the Czech and Slovak people. I also liked reading about their different foods associated with their culture. We both enjoyed our time there very much! The gift shop at the end of the exhibit was filled with all sorts of neat traditional items of the Czech and Slovak culture. All Very Cool! I definitely recommend for everyone to visit this museum at least once in your life!

I'm definitely glad I had the chance to visit the National Czech and Slovak Museum. However, it…read morewas a lot smaller exhibit-wise than it appeared on the outside which might be worth noting. Underground parking garage kind of seemed to be closed when we pulled up, but it is not - just don't be shy about pulling your vehicle right up to the door! The nearby Czech Village is a fun artsy neighborhood worth your time as well.