Review Visit: June 1st, 2013…read more You'll have a wheely good time here. There really is a museum for everything and anything. This one happens to be dedicated to all things on wheels. Or things that have wheels. Or wheel-shaped things. Okay, I don't think it's the last one but I do think this place is dedicated to items sitting on top of wheels. I'm not really sure how I found out about this place. It may have been from someone at work that brought it up during one of our many talks about traveling. Doing what I do best, I contacted someone to go with me and that person just happened to be my dad. We hopped in my car and made the semi-short drive to check the place out. When we approached the museum, the first thing we noticed was the train situated next to the building. You knew from looking at it that you were in for a treat. We made our way in and got to checking out the museum. The first thing we saw were antique cars. I recognized a few but a lot of them were unique to their time period. I'm not super attached to antique cars but I always think they are cool to look at in museums and such. They had maybe 15 or so at the time of my visit. We moved on to the other part of the museum and it had an eclectic collection of odds and ends. There was a firetruck that we got to take photos with. There was a Rube Goldberg-esque display as seen below. They had a mini train model set up in a glass case. Lastly, I remember there being a giant pendulum-style clock near the firetruck. It's rather hard to write this post as the place seemed to be dedicated to things on wheels but also other random odds and ends. It's best to check out their website below or visit the museum to see what I mean. It's a neat place to spend and afternoon if you have the time.

Fantastic automotive, trains and construction equipment made in Peoria and elsewhere. It is well…read moreworth the visit! The is so much more..., seriously...go visit!

This is a small museum worth doing once…read more Both screenings were very good. The ghost screening seemed like a real actor, crazy how good it was. One gallery wasn't open. We toured the rest and took less than an hour to go through it.

A must see in Springfield, Ill The Abraham Lincoln…read morePresidential Library and Museum in Springfield, Illinois, is a must-visit destination for anyone interested in American history, the United States President or Abraham Lincoln. It is located in downtown Springfield, and consists of two main structures: the Museum and the Library. We parked in the multi-story parking garage just to the north and west of the museum. The museum and the library was a short, easy walk away. I think the museum is the star of the visit since it contains far more to see and experience. From the moment we entered, we were warmly greeted by a friendly volunteer at the front desk. The entire facility serves as a wonderful tribute to one of America's greatest presidents, many would argue the greatest. The exhibits are thoughtfully designed and take visitors through the various eras of Lincoln's life, from his early years through his presidency and legacy. I think one of the highlights is the excellent short film presentation in the Archives area. It is located to the right as you enter. It's a well-produced show that beautifully explains the importance of preserving historical documents and artifacts. And that is just one of the exhibits. There is simply so much to explore here that you could easily spend an entire day (or multiple days) just trying to see and absorb everything. Overall, the Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum was wonderful and well worth the visit. Whether you're a history buff or just passing through Springfield, this is a great educational experience that brings Lincoln's story to life in a meaningful way. I definitely recommend this to anyone in the area.

The Peoria Riverfront Museum is a really neat place that you should check out while you're in…read morePeoria. Right outside the museum, on the southside of the building is the Peoria Holocaust Memorial. This is a touching tribute from the community to those who died in the Holocaust. We lucked into going on a "community day" where there was a large festival outside celebrating Cinqo de Mayo. The advantage was that admission was free on that day. The downside was that the music from outside could be heard inside the museum. It was also very crowded with many children running around unattended. The museum featured an exhibit on American 250 curated by Ken Burns. The planetarium also has a really cool and interactive show explaining where the stars are in our solar system. The museum also features a variety of rotating exhibits. I highly recommend a visit to the Peoria Riverfront Museum.

This is a nice little museum, I particularly enjoyed the Bronzeville to Harlem exhibit. That was…read morespectacular. We also went to the Planetarium and saw the what is in tonight's sky show and it was great. There was also a little concert outside before noon, which must have been a local school's jazz band and maybe small string orchestra. That was fun as well

Are dogs on a leash allowed in the park? I have a French Bulldog. My dog would like meeting farm…read moreanimals.

Great place for toddlers! The animals are very well taken care of and the place looks very clean!…read moreMy niece who is 2 years old has an amazing time feeding the cows, rabbits, ducks, horses, sheep and hens! The park has a good play area too! They also have plenty of seating arrangements - benches, wooden swings and chairs where you can rest and relax under the trees. Overall I would totally recommend this place!

Another five star review. There are three museums to tour here: the house; the rock and gem museum;…read moreand apparently the farm tools. Figure an hour per museum; I only had time for two. The docent lives on-site and is passionate about the Funk family; there was almost too much information about the family (perhaps as I was touring the house with two Funk family members in town for a reunion). I've toured a lot of Victorian houses, but one of the things that's interesting about this one is the amount of innovation you'll see highlighted here. This starts in the garden, where there is a small power plant (the farm had electricity in the early 1900s, before parts of Chicago), and is continued as you learn to know the family, whether they be inventors of hybrid seeds, or rock afficianados. Unlike many houses, here you can get close to things; there are no velvet ropes or plastic barriers, except one to keep you out of the servants' stairs. So you can look close up at the hat pins or beaded bags on the dressers. Ask questions - you can't stump this docent. (We had a discussion about concrete and its use in the fence and the caretaker's building which was really quite interesting. If you have engineer friends, they will love this tour.) The rock museum features some truly impressive fossils, some of which you might be allowed to touch! There's a dragonfly fossilized in ash; coprolite (look it up), and dinosaur bone (apparently fairly common?). There's a whole wall of different types of calcite; giant gorgeous blue and purple fluorite specimens; lit-from-the-back beautiful agates and rubies in zoisite; and in the NEXT room (!) two or three cabinets of beautiful Chinese carved soapstone, and a collection of sleighs. The finale is a cabinet full of fluorescing rocks, including melted glass from a nuclear reactor. Made me wish this museum had a gift shop, though the docent will be happy to give you recommendations for good local rock shops. This is a really great museum hidden in the cornfields. Worth a trip - I drove two hours to get here, thinking I was coming for the rocks, but the house was almost/ just as good.

Totally recommended - A wonderfully preserved house and grounds and our guide was able to bring the…read morewhole place to life with his insight and knowledge of the Funk family and their incredible history - and then in the Gem Museum we saw further dimensions to him as he walked us through this small fragment ( 20% ) of the massive and impressive collection gathered from all corners of the World.

Gorgeous mansion in a section of Quincy where you see a few blocks of absolutely gorgeous mansion-…read moretype homes that are amazingly maintained! Beautiful woodwork and furnishings. Some docent provided information, as well as self guided tour .

Beautiful place! Some original furniture & clothing pieces, other period pieces donated from…read morenearby. Very nice place to stop and learn some local history.

Museum is cute and I got a good deal on Groupon for my whole family. We happen to visit during the…read moreTom Sawyer festival which may the experience more fun. It's not accessible for wheels due to all the stairs, and some of the spaces are small, where you get to walk into the rooms; but it was a good place to cool down in the heat and learn about history and Tom Sawyer. I toddler did walk into the windows, a couple times that separate the historic items from the walk spaces, but he is fine. I definitely recommend a stop for anyone in the area to learned about Mark Twain in that time.

A Great place to learn about Mark Twain Before visiting the…read morethe city of Hannibal and Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum, I have to admit that I was a little reluctant to go. I assumed it was simply going to be a small house with a few displays, and I wasn't sure it would be worth the time. Boy, was I wrong. The city has done an outstanding job preserving and celebrating the life of Samuel Clemens, better known as Mark Twain. His influence can be seen throughout the city. This site, the Boyhood Home & Museum is the perfect place to begin exploring everything Hannibal has to offer. Rather than being just a single historic house, the attraction actually consists of several buildings spread throughout the block, each focusing on different parts of Twain's childhood, family, writing, and legacy. The exhibits are well organized and do an excellent job telling the story of how a young boy growing up in this Mississippi River town eventually became one of America's greatest authors. As you walk through the different buildings, you'll recognize many of the places and people that later inspired characters and settings in books such as The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. I especially enjoyed seeing how the museum connected Twain's real life with his famous stories. The buildings are well preserved, and there is a tremendous amount of history packed into the exhibits. Two challenges for the site are 1) it may be difficult for mobility impaired and 2) some of the informational signs located behind Plexiglas were a little difficult to read because of reflections. There is also a nice gift shop with plenty of books and souvenirs, along with a fun photo opportunity where visitors can pose helping Tom Sawyer "paint the fence." It's a clever addition that both children and adults seemed to enjoy. Overall, this attraction definitely exceeded my expectations. Whether you're a fan of Mark Twain, enjoy American history, or simply appreciate well-done historic sites, I would highly recommend visiting the Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum. It is an excellent introduction to Hannibal and one of the highlights of the city. Enjoy!

Best museum, friendly staff, and lots of interesting artifacts , learned a lot as a history buffread more

The Lincoln Heritage Museum is an absolute gem and well worth a family visit!…read more The facility is tucked away on Nicholson Road, almost out of sight behind Lincoln College in Lincoln, Illinois. Take the time to find it - you'll be delighted with your discovery. Plan to give the Museum the time it deserves - to get the most from your visit you'll need an hour and a half. The exhibits chronicle the life and times of Abraham Lincoln, from his early childhood through his years as President. Every display is "kid friendly" - your children will enjoy handling genuine historical artifacts of the period and will get a huge kick out of the Museum's multi-media presentations. Many of the exhibits put the viewer right into the middle of the action; you really feel as if you are on the scene as the events unfold. The staff is friendly and helpful and admission fees are very reasonable. You'll even find a well stocked gift shop - a great place for thoughtful birthday or holiday gifts. What are you waiting for??? SEE the LINCOLN HERITAGE MUSEUM!!!

Review Visit: July 31st, 2012…read more A museum dedicated to more than Illinois. Matt and I had no idea what we were getting ourselves in to when we decided to check out the Illinois State Museum. We set our sights on this place while trying to do all the big Lincoln-y things in Springfield. We had assumed it was just your normal museum dedicated to the state of Illinois, corn, and Lincoln. It was all that and much more. It's hard to put in words how cool this place was. It's also hard because it's been over 8 years since we came here and my memory is a bit fuzzy on it. Who is to say the exhibits haven't also changed or been redone since 2012. Any who, I will say that if you find yourself in Springfield and love awesome museums, check this one out. There is a lot to see pertaining to Illinois but it's all so super cool and really well done. One of the best museums I've ever experienced. I know this is a shorter-than-normal post. If it gets even one person interested in seeing this place, then I feel like I've done a great job.

This was such a nice museum! We were in Springfield for less than a day, but still wanted to check…read moreit out! We are in the Curious Toddler Phase right now so all museums are on our go list. The staff here was VERY welcoming as we entered and explained to us what each floor was. Entry here is completely free! The first floor had a lot of history of Illinois and the common species that could be found. When I say history, it went back millions of years ago. It more of a science exhibit. It was very interactive for little ones with pull out drawers, spinning cranks, and windows at kid level for them to see fossils. We then went to the basement level that was the kid's area. My son loved it. And it was crowded with other kids who loved it. There was a pit to excavate fossils, another area to examine TONS of fossils and bones. My son particularly loved driving the fake jeep lol. It was a very fun experience for us. There was a whole other level dedicated to art that we did not get to see, but maybe the next time we are in the area we will!