Great little museum. Very informative past info on the local area and beyond only five dollars to…read moreenter and you get access to two museums. The staff are kinda unfriendly at the first little one a young girl but the guy working the second one with the coal museum. Was very friendly and helpful. We came like five minutes before closing he told us please don't rush take your time it's ok we appreciated that very informative history here liked it.

We always try visiting local museums whenever we're on a stop-over; even small towns often have a…read morelot of history behind them. The LaSalle County Historical Society Museum is one of the few mid-19th-century buildings left standing on the Illinois & Michigan Canal. It's a very distinctive building on the corners of Canal and Mill Streets in Utica that was built in 1848 from blocks of Utica's native sandstone. Over the years, it was a warehouse, a general store, Utica's first post office, a livery and feed stable, a garage, and a car wash. It was saved from the wrecking ball in 1963 to house the headquarters of the LaSalle County Historical Society. When we stopped in at the museum during a recent week-end trip to Utica, it also happened to be the day that nearby Starved Rock State Park was holding its version of "The Amazing Race." The old gentleman in the lobby was so happy to see a couple who actually wanted to look around the museum and weren't just popping in and out for the race that he gave us quite an enthusiastic tour. He even took down the rope barring entrance to the downstairs to let me use the bathroom! (Apparently they're usually for employees only.) The museum contains lots of interesting exhibits such as: * the coach in which a local entrepreneur drove Abe Lincoln to Ottawa for his first debate with Stephen Douglas * Native American artifacts * tools, clothing and other memorabilia from local pioneers and early residents * samples of coal and a map of some of the many coal mines in LaSalle County (all now closed) * pictures of the devastation Utica suffered during the 2004 tornado, as well as memorial pictures of a young married couple who were among the 8 people killed during this storm * a display of old Westclox radio-luminescent dial clocks that were produced by the Radium Dial Company at its plant in Peru. (Since no one knew about radium poisoning in the early 20th century, many of the young women who were hired to paint these dials later suffered from radiation sickness.) There's no fee to tour the museum, but they're happy to accept any donations. So stop by the next time you're in Utica - you might learn some interesting trivia and you'll make their day.

VERY nicely done! Clean, welcoming and organized. Not kitschy at all. I own a 1969 Firebird, so…read moreI had high expectations and this place was very good. The staff was friendly and you could spend as much or as little time as you want. It is not particularly large, but had nice items on display including several cars. I am glad we stopped in.

Great spot to visit if you're a fan of the Pontiac and Oakland automobile lines. It's incredible…read morehow such an iconic set of cars is available for visitors to enjoy at only the cost of a small donation. The automobiles are arranged nicely here with good lighting and spread out so visitors don't feel too crowded. A must visit if you're in Pontiac and a fan of cars.

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!

Super quaint little exploration center for kids in Peoria is great! It's small enough to be easy to…read morenavigate. Lots for the kids to do and plenty of benches for caregivers to sit. The air exhibit was particularly fun for our 3.5 year old. Tickets are easy to purchase and very low priced. Well worth the price! It wasn't too busy so we kind of had the run of the place. 10/10 would take the family back!

Awesome, my granddaughter suggested going here, so did my youngest grandson. My middle grandson was…read moreagainst. We took him anyway. They ended up loving it. He was a crafting up bricks, using machines, and used the craft room while my eldest helped with the glue gun. My youngest was all interested and water, farm area, fossil sand section, and crafting area, while my eldest liked the mini village, science room, and crafting area. They all spent the most time at the ball area doing a " Harvest festival" which I watched and thought was adorable. Although the shop was not the most affordable... They had cute stuffed animals ( that we didn't buy) But I bought them small goodies, Eldest and middle got magnifying lenses, while my youngest got a small dinosaur. I was a person who was on the edge of going, But I even had fun! It proves that there is something for everyone here!!

The Livingston County War Museum teaches about the wars that the people of Livingston County have…read moreparticipated in. There are many uniforms on display that have been donated to the museum. There is also a display of musical instruments used in the war effort. You can also see what a typical home in the 1940s looked like. If you're going to visit, check the hours to make sure that they'll be open when you go.

It's interesting to see all the uniforms from past wars. Soldiers stories and uniforms on display…read morewith various medals also. Very old building the wooden floors are a reminder of days past. Plan to walk and climb stairs. Free entry a donation is appreciated.

Run by Veterans who know their history, this small Military Air Museum is a must see for airplane…read morebuffs and all veterans. You'd miss it if you blink while you're driving past, but take the time to stop and witness the nostalgia within these relics. It's worth the stop and shouldn't be ignored.

A place for fans of war memorabilia and aviation, we were fortunate to have a tour guide that…read moreprovided information beyond our expectations. They have a painting created by a Tuskegee airman and a section on women aviators. This museum is private so expect to pay a fee and wear clothes that you won't mind getting dusty.

The best surprise of my visit to Pontiac. This museum has such an amazing and eclectic collection…read moreof items to delight everyone. From the outside it seems like any regular historical building -- but the quantity and quality of the displays within create a fun spot to enjoy an afternoon with plenty of learning opportunities. I'm not sure you'll find any larger collection of Route 66 themed items than on the lower floor here. Being immersed in these objects really gave me a feel of the history of Route 66. Attached to this are several other museums covering everything from murals to the Titanic to the Civil War to the 1940's and more. Truly a must visit set of museums that's worth a special trip.

Housed in a historic firehouse, this is a nice stop on the way to Springfield along Route 66…read more The museum is just one room packed with Route 66 memorabilia, but it is part of a maze of museums. Fun to be able to wander through the interconnected displays. Would not make a special stop here unless you want to explore Pontiac. While you are there, definitely check out the Pontiac-Oakland Automobile Museum and the murals. Get your kicks on Route 66!

My daughter had had her wedding here. It was wonderful as were the people who were there to help…read more Great place to visit. Big part of ILLINOIS history!!

I highly recommend stopping in for a tour of this magnificent structure. The cost is $5 per person…read more They often hold a "Free Day" so, you might not have to pay anything. The curator Erin is very kind, and knowledgeable. Most reviews on the place are contributed to TripAdvisor, but I felt the Yelp audience would like to know of a place they could visit on a rainy day. Or anytime! I believe the tours are Thursday - Saturday at designated time slots from around Noon to 3pm for a duration of an hour. Call ahead for more info and planning.