Very nice local museum with many items of general interest. I am very interested in George Rogers…read moreClark and William Clark so a visit to this museum was a must. They did have two small displays with some original pieces. There is much more to the museum than the Clark's though. If you love history a visit is a must.

This was a really great little find as I was exploring the downtown area near the riverfront. I was…read moreon a paddle wheeler that was docked just a little bit away. This was right across from a hop-on hop-off stop, but nobody mentioned it and I almost missed it. They have a pretty diverse array of items on display ranging from old artifacts of the civil war, old police memorabilia and clothing a furniture from the last century. Overall, a very interesting and well documented collection and deserving of more attention. The staff person was extremely welcoming and warm and made me feel right at home. If you have just a few minutes to spare or a bit more, take the opportunity to check out this little museum. It is the in the middle of the Market place and it looks for all the world like an old train station. You need to enter on the second street side.

This is definitely a one-of-a-kind place. Every display throughout the property has a related pun,…read moreand the toys in his toy house are displayed in ways that make funny stories. Sadly a storm took out the electricity to the toy house and he isn't permitted to fix it because the electric is connected to the house and the town said he has to upgrade all the electric in the house, which he and his wife don't have the means for right now. When he had electricity a lot of the toys would move and contraptions on the property had lights and water on some of them. The toys stretch back to the 1940s. Definitely a trip down memory lane. The gentleman who owns it is very nice and came out to give us a tour and pointed out the many puns related to the displays. The little general store his grandparents ran back in the early half of the 1900s is still standing and full of interesting memorabilia and artifacts. It's donations only, no cost, but the man and his wife can use the help. If you're not a fan of weird junk art and old toys, you probably wouldn't like it. We spent about 45 minutes there.

Depends on your style and tastes because it definitely is a little eerie! If you like weird,…read morethough, it'll be a good place to visit. It will definitely be something we will always remember, but not one we necessarily recommend.

I've visited multiple historical sites similar to this mound site, across the country. Of all the…read moreexperiences this one stands out for a very specific reason. All the others are just the mounds with their accompanying history explained. This is the first one I've been to that goes above and beyond just seeing a grassy mound and actually has a fully excavated, and protected site within it. I find this fascinating. This type of historical location is only as exciting as the person visiting it wants to make it. Having this extra layer of dirt removed to actually see what's under one of these mounds is much more gratifying. In any event, I think it's important to take a moment and imagine life at the time the mound was created almost 1000 years ago and how different it is from what we experience today, standing in the same spot. This is an excellent site with great documentation and a very friendly and helpful staff. Definitely worth taking an hour out of your day if you're in the area to stop by and experience this place.

Stopped here on our way to explore Cairo staff was wonderful learned a lot about the mystery of the…read morearea

I'm a pretty big fan of off-the-wall, random attractions in the middle of nowhere. The Super Museum…read morefalls perfectly in that category! Know ahead of time that Metropolis, IL is cute and charming as heck. But besides this, there is pretty much nothing else to do besides Harrah's Casino, so I'd recommend it more as a road trip stop rather than spending a weekend here. You can easily be in and out within 2 hours max. The Super Museum, however, was a LOT more than I expected! This collection of Superman memorabilia is insane, and has so many pieces that are decades old, from many of the films, and some random, quirky stuff. The tickets were only about 8 bucks and you can spend as long as you'd like in there. They've got a pretty awesome gift shop, too! This is a really neat attraction to stop at if you're driving through Southern Illinois!

I was really excited to finally visit the Superman Museum in Metropolis, but the experience left me…read morefeeling pretty let down. In their defense, it was a Sunday afternoon and most things in town were closed -- which is understandable -- but the museum itself was open. I stepped into the gift shop first and immediately felt overwhelmed by the sheer volume of Superman merchandise. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big Superman fan, but most of it felt like stuff I could easily find online. After wandering around the shop for a bit, I honestly lost interest and never even bought a ticket to see the actual museum exhibits. The town itself does have some nice touches -- there are several cool murals and statues scattered around, which were highlights. Unfortunately, the place felt like a bit of a ghost town that day, which made the whole experience fall flat. I'll probably give it another shot during their annual fair or on a weekday when more is open, but it'll be a while before I make the trip back. If you're a huge Superman fan, it might still be worth checking out, but manage your expectations -- especially if visiting on a Sunday afternoon. ----UPDATE---- After the staff reached out, I decided to bump up my review. Their passion for the museum really came through and I appreciated the response. As a huge Superman fan who grew up watching the original Christopher Reeve movies in theaters and collecting the classic TV shows, I expected something a little different. I'll definitely visit again on a weekday -- I'm sure the experience will be much better when I skip the gift shop and go straight into the museum. The gift shop was well stocked, but I personally wasn't looking to add more items to my collection. I mainly wanted to see old props, costumes, and classic collectible from the shows/movies and old toys.

Fun train ride run by devoted volunteers. They served us generous portions of pizza and home made…read moredesserts. Also played Singo. Recommend for kids and adults

MawMaws Sweet Shoppe at the Train Depot for Jackson Food Truck Rally always a great time for family…read moreand friends

Both a History of Benton and Franklin County History both Good and Bad Worth the entry fee.read more

This 1905 Franklin County Jail Museum is a very interesting walk through Benton's history…read more Featuring one of the last public executions in Illinois of Charlie Berger, this museum has original noose, weapons, newspaper articles and other historical documentation. When you walk into the house, you enter a beautiful, classic early 1900s home. A very welcoming home with reconstructed living room and kitchen. Prepare to be surprised! It is only when you near the back of the house that you find the white, rusted heavy iron door. Open this door and you enter a cold, dark realm that even Tim Burton couldn't recreate. Perhaps a hundred years for rusting and paint chipping contributes to the overall gloom. These are the prison cells that inspire modern day fiction. All the windows have bars. And the view from the outermost window is of the gallows. These gallows have been recreated in the position they originally stood. There are multiple rooms of cells which you can enter and take photos of. Don't use the toilets, though. They are a bit old. :) Escape back into the semblance of normalcy of the house and head upstairs to take in additional Benton history. The normal bathroom is up there: very clean. When the Beatles FIRST came to America, this is where they played. The museum curator stated that she was a young girl when they arrived: "We had no idea who they were...They weren't known in America at the time, but we all hurried to get a look. We didn't end up seeing them though." There is civil war paraphernalia and an autographed photo of town local John Malkovich. I highly recommend this location! The curator is very knowledgeable and friendly. The location is a few miles off the nearby highway.

" Nice Small City Museum "…read more We went to the Madrid Historical Museum and had a nice time looking through the information about the small city of New Madrid. There's a 15-minute introductory film, and then exhibits dedicated to the history of the area. There are also Tour guides to answer your questions around the Museum,

A small museum in downtown New Madrid about 3 miles off the interstate. The museum itself has a 15…read moreminute film and then exhibits devoted to Native Americans, the great 1811-12 earthquakes, the civil war and general town history and artifacts since then. Fortunately when the earthquakes occurred there was not many people living in this region and it was before technology. These are 2 things missing that would provide background and documentation to make an interesting story and museum. For $5 it is worth a quick pit stop if traveling through, a definite must if living in the region. A great walkway with viewing platform juts out from the levee for a great view of the Mississippi river next door.

If you're a fan of historic homes, this is well worth a visit. It has been beautifully redone and…read morefeatures many musical touches. Call for hours.

Great experience!! Super interesting artifacts & the interactive exhibits were so neat. Definitely…read morerecommend!

I never knew this place was here. My kiddos truly enjoyed this amazing little gem! This is total…read moremust see! There is a video that you watch at the end of the tour and it is hands down incredible. When the young lady was telling us stories, I got goosies and tears in my eyes. I have even more respect for Astronauts and now my youngest son wants to join the Space Program.