The Caterpillar Visitors Center is a must see if you are in Peoria. This is the most fun that I've had at a museum in a long time. When you enter you watch a movie (in a decommissioned machine) and learn about the history of Caterpillar through displays and artifacts like a traditional museum. The best part is when you get to climb into the machines and get to sit inside them. There is a simulator where you can learn how to use and move a scooper. Be sure to get your picture taken next to the big machines. I highly recommend the Caterpillar Visitors Center! read more

See all

It is located in the heart of Peoria downtown. It's a museum full of information and history. It tour starts with a documentary film . It is not a big museum, but you could spend reasonably time to dig into the past to explore the history. Very educational and highly recommended. read more

See all

Experience the greatness of Caterpillar...years of leadership in earthmoving industry. Come and see what Caterpillar stands for! Peoria has been for years the earthmoving Capitol of the world! View the massive earth moving trucks, graders, you name it. Drive them in the simulators!!! Go! Then go next door to the awesome Riverfront Museum! "Play in Peoria!" read more

I was recently in town for work and had the chance to visit. I had the most wonderful time talking to Norman. He was one of the Cat retirees who was around answering questions on the main floor downstairs. I probably talked to him for 2 hours! He was better than the showcases. SO knowledge and so kind! Wish I could go back just to talk to him and learn about his years at cat even more. We also talked to Rick, another retiree there, who was so personable and kind. Such a fun experience! I recommend to everyone. Especially, take up talking to the sweet retirees down there!!! Their stories are the best part! read more

Awesome experience to learn this monster machine company. My father in law worked for caterpillar for over 35 years. We know it is an awesome and powerful company that he's always been proud to work for. The exhibition center is very nice, we learned a lot of things about CAT and the staffs here are very nice and friendly. read more

See all

Heading east after visiting relatives in Denver and Omaha, our route took us thru Peoria, IL. Our relatives had recommended that we stop at the Caterpillar Visitor's Center in Peoria - so we timed our trip so that we spent the night in Peoria and headed to the Visitor's Center shortly after it opened in the morning. WOW -- if you're into "heavy equipment" or the history of heavy equipment, this place is a delight. They have a lot of actual equipment on display plus a partial real/partial replica of a GIANT earthmover/hauler. There is a video in the theater plus numerous displays, interactive exhibits and additional videos around the center. And, of course, there is a gift shop where you can purchase genuine Caterpillar themed merchandise. Allow a couple of hours to see everything. read more

Fun for kids, interesting displays for adults As a retired CAT employee, my husband really enjoyed the whole place and sharing it with our children. read more

Second visit here. Great experience, staff is helpful and knowledgeable. Did not know about the underground parking until we left. May be worth advertising it more read more

This place might be awesome but we would not know. It is advertised as a visitor center but they actually charge admission. We went out of our way to get there as well. It is not about the money but it is the principle for us. Never heard of a visitor center charging admission. If it is a museum as the clerk said then call it a museum NOT a visitor center!! read more

This was our whole reason to come to Peoria. My three year old son is obsessed with all things heavy equipment (and cars, and trucks...). Of course the day we came there was a massive snow storm. I checked the NWS website- 6"-9" in the area once it was all said and done. And it was very windy. Due to unforeseen circumstances the night before we got a late start on the day. Their website says they close at 5pm but sell the last ticket at 3:30pm. It was 1pm when we finally arrived. I was worried with how the streets and weather were they would close early. They did not. When Charlotte saw us walking up she opened the door and greeted us. She immediately took an interest in my son, dropped some knowledge on us, and escorted us into the movie theater that sits in the bed of the 2 story mining truck they have. It's a quick film about Caterpillar and the seats vibrate when the trucks come into view. Once that finished we exited out of the truck and into the museum. Solo I could probably get through it in 30 minutes. But with my son it took longer and many many laps around it which he was the whole reason we were here. He took it all in the first lap. Then the following laps began climbing on the machines he was allowed to climb on and could not get over that he was allowed to touch everything. We played with simulators (I learned I won't be quitting my day job to operate heavy machinery), looked at all the displays and pictures on the walls. My son rambled on and on about the different parts and machines and what they do. The only advantage I had on him was I can read so I could tell him new stuff. There were other people but not so many as it was crowded. My son never had to wait to climb on anything. Staff was present and very friendly. The best way to explain the atmosphere is it was a mix of excited little boys and big boys who were as excited but contained it better. Admission is cheap ($7 for me, free for the kid). There's a merchandise shop. After spending just short of two hours in the museum , we went and checked it out. Lots of different merch for all ages. We left with my wallet considerably lighter and my son on Cloud 9. Some men in the lobby ooh'd and ahh'd over the big trucks we walked out with and asked my son questions which he was happy to answer. We bundled up getting ready to head back out into the elements and Charlotte saw us. When she found out we had parked in a metered spot on Main St she escorted us back through the museum and out an emergency exit door closer to where we were parked so we could avoid the snow covered steps in the back and having to exit on Washington St and walk around. All around super happy with the whole experience. I wish we could have gotten here earlier (and even been able to explore the area- it looks beautiful!). In better weather we would have spent more time but i was worried about the amount of snow. I know some people would say it may not be worth the trip for just this, I personally wasn't interested, but my son has not stopped talking about it. It was his Disney. Seeing my son so happy and in his element made it all worth it. read more

Caterpillar Visitors Center - Museums Near Me - Peoria, Illinois

See all

5/20 Fascinating place! Definitely worth a stop. We were actually staying fifty miles closer to home but saw billboards and decided to drive back the next day. This museum is great for young kids and young at heart. The tour starts with a short film inside a replica of one of their largest vehicles and then you're free to roam on your own. I think in all there are six machines that you can climb into (including the two behind the ticket counter), maybe seven. Our son was in heaven. I tried to look at the museum and read more about the history, but we had to "go and sit in more trucks!" My husband found the history really fascinating. I thought the layout was really cool; it felt kind of circular and you just kind of flowed with it. Make sure to try the simulators. I'm guessing they're all the same, but we had to scoop dirt and then swing it over to cover a pipe. It is a lot harder than it seems! I'm simply not coordinated enough to use a control in each hand. My husband eventually took over and we had success. Secretly, I think he had more fun here than our boy. ;) The gift shop is cool. They have toy CATs for 18 months to 18+ years. We ended up with a coffee mug shaped like the scoop on a backhoe. It's cool, but will probably be more functional as a planter or a cup for paper clips. We also got a computer mouse with a little CAT bulldozer floating inside. Geeky, but awesome! They have a huge selection of branded merchandise and be sure to look at the counter - according to my husband, that's where all the really cool stuff was. The employees, too, are really friendly and super helpful. There is street parking around nearly the entire building. We found a great (free) spot in the back. The admission is reasonable and kids under age 12 are free. It's well worth a couple hours of your time! read more

Caterpillar Visitors Center - Even the ticket counter is cool! - Museums Near Me - Peoria, Illinois

There are many different ways of learning. Those include visual, verbal, physical, logical, social, and solitary. In this museum (AKA a visitor's center), you can experience all of them, and in an awesome way. I was first struck by the 5 story mining truck they had parked in the museum. 5 stories! All visible for your awe-ing pleasure. They have a lot of written histories about the machines and the companies that now make up Caterpillar. They have several short (5min) documentaries about how their equipment is used worldwide. They have several training simulations where your hands manipulate the actual controls to make a machine complete a task. I think there are six different such simulations. They also have museum guides and retired Cat employees on staff to answer questions about history, help you with the simulations, or anything else that might spring to mind. One of Peoria's unique "must-sees!" read more

Got my tickets thinking mainly of my son, but it was a hit for all my children! We needed a short morning activity while tagging along on Dad's business trip. Ticket price was awesome! $7 for adults, kids 12 & under are free! Drawback to ordering my 5 tickets online was a $1 fee for each ticket. Therefore I ended up paying $12 total. Disappointing. However, once we got there, the $12 to cover 5 of us turned out to be worth it. The kids loved climbing into real CAT machines and trying out the simulators. Someday when I'm not chasing kids, I'd love to slow down and read the history and watch the videos beyond the entry video (in the back of a mining truck!) The rest of our time in the area and once we returned home, my 3, 5, and 8 year old keep pointing out CAT machines, even ones we got to sit in while visiting! Great memories! read more

See all

Great place! Met the guy who designed it (Mark Johnson-37 years at Cat). It was a great museum that highlights the Caterpillar company. Plenty of stuff for kids to climb on. Lots of the displays are geared more for adults (reading). This place really gives you an appreciation for where this company started and where it is now. Thoroughly enjoyed the place! read more

See all

Get a birds eye view of the history and future of Caterpillar right here. Staff is usually a retired Cat employee so you can learn a lot from them and here how things were in there day. Plenty of pride still in those folks! Tour the mock Haul Truck and watch a Cat flick inside the bed of it which is a small theater. The displays show Cat from the start to present and appears to have been last updated a few years ago. If you have a Cat fan and need goodies, the Merchandise Store is right there. Worth checking out when in Peoria. read more

Told me a little bit more on Caterpillar than I needed to know. But cool intro video with vibrating seats and cool simulators. Charges admission. We paid$6 each read more

If you have a little one who loves machines, take them here! My 3-year-old son was over the moon in the Caterpillar Visitors Center. The employees were so kind and patient with him, and were charmed by his love of heavy machinery. It is fairly small, but just the right size for what we needed. Don't forget to visit the gift shop before you leave! read more

See all

Dear Sir/Madam Hi I dont know if this page is related to my issue or nut but I will send&wait for your replay. SIS Software(Service Information System) has several faults in different sections for example in NPR section when you types part number: 9F-7707, you will see part weight= 619.871 kg and this is incorrect. I want to know How can I do to correct all the faults by CAT Co.? My Email: mehdikamali5658@gmail.com Best Regards... Mehdi Kamali read more

We had a lot of fun here when we visited Peoria and I highly recommend to anyone who hasn't been here yet! A great place to come with people of all ages. We spent under 2 hours here but if you are a super Cat fan or love construction, you might stay longer. The price is right for a museum with this much to do and see. There are some hands-on things to do so you're not just walking around reading the whole time. Plus, the kids (or you) can sit inside some of the machines. Great picture ops, nice facility and super nice people. read more

You get to sit in the driving seat of big trucks... push buttons, pull levers and pretend you're controlling it. You get to try out the simulators. Its like playing a video game with real truck controls. YES! You get to see how they measure whether a seat is comfortable (Ergonomics). There's even lots of wall displays with history and sensible science things. I really enjoyed sitting in a truck that had tires with a 14ft diameter. WOW. read more

The service here is terrible. I came in, sat down, and ordered the daily special. They said I had to pay up front before I could enter. I said to them that I only wanted the daily special. Then they asked me to leave. What kind of business would make you pay up front before you even order. 0/10 wouldn't come again read more

This was my third trip here. I brought my parents on this occasion and it was by far my best experience. It was a Monday afternoon and was not very busy. We met a retiree, Ken, who was extremely knowledgeable....especially about the Peoria Cats. He had a lot of stories to share which did a lot for the museum. Overall, besides the film at the beginning and the equipment, there isn't a lot of deep material. The videos are very similar and not really worth viewing imho. Still, this is way better than the overpriced museum next door. Biggest downside is the gift shop/merchandise center. Don't even bother going inside. Total waste of money. $40 for a baby blanket. $2 for a postcard....etc. 15% employee discount doesn't really help. That almost ruins the entire experience. I recommend the visitor center, but apologize for the greed in the store. Hopefully they will go out of business so we just have an empty room. read more

Took my 6 and 2 year old daughters here on a Thursday. The staff are very professional and friendly. You start with a short intro video inside the 797F mining trick! Then you proceed down the main exhibit floor. You will find around 8 trucks to seat in. Also, about 8 video simulators. The staff on the floors are retired Caterpillar employees, Reg was very friendly and informative. Also, there are lots of information in the gallery halls about the history and future plans of Caterpillar. You can see the whole place in about an hour. The fee is $7 for adults, and it's nice kids under 12 is fee! There is a parking meter right on the street for $1/hr or a 2-hr free parking two blocks away read more

Caterpillar Visitors Center - The 797F mining truck - Museums Near Me - Peoria, Illinois

It's was the summer of 2013 when our son-in-law, a Cat employee, our daughter, and two year old grandson took my wife and I to the Cat museum or visitor center. I am a Cat retiree so looked forward to the visit. We parked free across the street. We did enjoy the tour and the very helpful retirees answering questions and giving out information. However I too felt like it was more of a company advertisement and the gift shop prices way too high. I can't believe paying to go in a visitor center. Still we did enjoy our visit. read more

If your a fan of Cat or just happen to be in the area, the Cat visitor's center is worth checking out. The museum has something for everyone including short films about the history of the company, a few of their tractors and excavators and even a simulation center. The museum is small so it won't take up your whole day but well worth killing an hour or two. The gift shop is also pretty expansive with just about everything you have ever wanted. read more

We've been to the John Deere pavillon (Moline, IL) in the past and found this place when we were looking for something to do to kill some time. The main movie sounds more like a pitch for Caterpillar by the CEO. In fact, the whole visitors center seems like a place designed for Caterpillar employees to feel proud and a way to boost their morale. Tourists welcome. The machines on display are fun to climb on and inspect close up. The simulators are fun to play with and are more difficult to master than it first looks. The exhibits about products produced, the history are interesting. A lot of time can be spent here if you look at every exhibit on display and read everything, but no less than an hour. read more

Fun and interactive. Enjoyed the simulators. Kids liked sitting in the cab of the tractor. The replica of the giant mining truck was amazing! read more

Just stopped by the gift shop. Cathi was very helpful and there's a lot of cool stuff in there. Excellent customer service and a great experience! read more

Huge machines, toys to play with (Caterpillar simulators, about eight of them), what's not to like! At the very start, don't miss the video that is in the theater inside the bed of the 797 dump truck. It's very well done and makes me wish I'd worked for Caterpillar. Many actual big machines you can sit in and lots of history of the evolution of the monsters. I loved the visit. Not too long to get bored either. Plan about two hours. More if you like to read a lot. Senior, military and employee discounts available too. Definitely worth the visit. read more

a great place not only for young children and also those who are interested in construction machinery but everyone should see you machines which are building our future read more

Caterpillar Visitors Center - Museums Near Me - Peoria, Illinois

See all

As an adult I found this place very educational and well worth a visit to broaden one's mind. As a kid I thought it was awesome because I could plant construction equipment. The whole idea of this is pretty neat because it's a Showcase of what a company does to take its products put them out there people can see them climb on them and understand what it takes to make and manufacture construction equipment it pretty much is the city of Peoria is built around. At first when you get in there that there is a little theater that you watch a ten minute or so video from the president of caterpillar talks about what they do how they do it and what they build pretty cool stuff. Then you're free to roam around and they show everything from some of the first tractors they made 2 some of the largest tractors they made that some actual equipment on this play that you can go home and crawl in they also have these really cool things that are simulators that would almost be used to train someone how to operate a Caterpillar with all the buttons and switches and pedals and whatnot. If you would all are into Machining or forging or construction this place is for you and you should definitely stop by and see it. They also have a really cool gift store which I was surprised I know what caterpillar boots go for and they were actually cheaper in the factory store than they were elsewhere you would find them. If ever in Peoria please give this place a try read more

Super nice building and very welcoming staff. The gift store is expansive and actually not over-priced as I was expecting. Not a single other person was in there while we were so it was nice and quiet. The machines truly are amazing! Our toddler thought it was all very cool but we definitely didn't spend two hours here as others have suggested. I think with older children who read the descriptions you might though. I wish they had more thing for younger kids though. read more

Go...just go! We drove from Chicago for my son's 5th birthday and had no idea what to expect. The staff is very friendly (they offered to look up other things to do while in Peoria...but we didn't need it). We spent nearly two hours in the truck area. The employees are retired from CAT, and they are very informative. They have a gift shop, which was a hit! We plan to go back in the fall and spend more time around that area. read more

We recently visited the caterpillar museum with our large family of 9 in Illinois. Our 2 year old son LOVES tractors! The museum was awesome and his heaven! After the the tour we visited the gift shop to buy our son a tractor, as we were looking at the store we happen to catch one of the cashiers speaking to her co worker telling her to watch "our family" she even pointed her fingers towards her eyes then at us. As you can imagine we were very offended as we were there to purchase items and all of us have more then enough means to purchase what we wanted. Once she noticed we were watching her say these things and profiling us, we confronted her and let her know how unprofessional she was and how her actions were making such a huge company look bad. She didn't once apologize, yet as we told her we would not be purchasing anything from a store that had such poor customer service she continued to say "did you check out our clearance!" We left with a two year old upset and the other children feeling confused as to why we were being so missed treated. I suggest that if you go to this museum you stay far away from the gift store, however enjoy the museum! I would of given it a 5 star! read more

5 year old son had a great time here spent about 2 hrs playing with all the machines. The mining truck is huge and the staff was really nice, a gentleman found out it was my sons birthday and gave him a free hat. read more

Very, very, very cool! I have a grandbaby that loves big "BACHINES" and I knew he would love to play on all the equipment. He had such a great time, words can't even express. He got to run around and be a kid, play and imagine, and get exhausted. From the opening video to dragging him out of the gift shop with a new toy end-loader, he was hooked. Oh yeah, the adults had a great time too, and learned a lot. I could go back tomorrow. Worth every cent - worth every minute read more