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!

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.

My husband and I visited the Pontiac Oakland Automobile Museum on a trip on Route 66. If you love…read morecars, and Pontiacs in particular, this should be a stop on your agenda. There are dozens on vintage cars, motorcycles, and other vehicles that span many decades. I had fun learning, I just wish that the descriptions were more detailed.

My friend and I had an errand out in this area and decided to see what else there was to see while…read morewe were here. This museum (the home of the Hegeler and Carus families, who were involved in a local zinc company and also a publishing house, Open Court Press) is a national historic landmark and is unique because it was owned by the same family the whole time, & they never made any fundamental updates to the house so it's largely as it was when designed by WW Boyington (who also designed Chicago's Water Tower and the old Joliet prison) in the 1870s. Several rooms have been restored, but you can see in areas where it hasn't where time is taking its toll (for example, the main hall was painted with egg tempera paint, and that organic element [the egg] is now degrading after 150 years). Still, the parquet floors are amazing, and details like pocket doors, carved wooden decorations and historical elements like the speaker tube system in the walls for speaking through the house are unusual! The house also contains the only German-style turnhalle (gymnasium) in a historic home in the US. Other interesting details include an ornate butsudan (buddhist cabinet shrine) due to Hegeler's interest in Eastern religions. We just took the general tour ($15), but you can do half house (upper or lower half for $50 each) or whole house tours ($100). The longest one is apparently 3.5 hours with two breaks and children are discouraged since it is long. You must register for the tours as they max out at 6 people. Despite it saying "masks are required" and our temperatures taken at the door, our guide was initially trying to take his mask off to talk and the other couple on the tour followed suit. When my friend and I left ours on, they all put them back on at some point. The rooms do have 6 foot markers on the floors, but since some of the rooms aren't big, if you had a full tour group this would be an issue. There is an elevator so the Mansion is handicap accessible. Overall, this seems to be one of the bigger attractions in LaSalle, so take a tour if you're in town.

This mansion is beautiful and a amazing historic site to see!! The house tour is incredible! I…read morehighly recommend going here and learning about this incredible family!

Amazing museum. Norway Illinois had the first settlers from Norway in all of the United States. I…read morehad no idea that was a fact. Free Parking and friendly staff who are volunteers of the museum. There's so much to learn and they have a beautiful timeline of Norwegian history. Many people dresses and uniforms and art from Norway to see here.

This Museum is an exciting living cultural museum of the past, in the area of the first Norwegian…read moreImmigrants to America. It is run by enthusiastic energetic people interested in preserving and sharing the history of the area. Lynn Sove Maxson

A nice little museum located w/i the beautiful Kankakee Amtrak depot, from 1898 for the IC Rr and…read moreon the Natl Register of Historic Places. The museum holds three model train layouts, each of a different scale; a number of display cases of scale model trains, dishes and schedules. Outside is a 1948 Pullman passenger coach which has been partly beautifully restored and redecorated, a UP caboose and a streetcar which once operated in Kankakee.

We had our wedding at the train depot a few weeks ago. I will never hold another event there. Don't…read moreget me wrong, the place is beautiful, and it was the right size for our event. We had the worst experience with Peggy and her "assistants". The first time we met with Peggy she was very nice and willing to help us make the day perfect. After we signed the contract that all went away. We met with her a few times leading up to the wedding. Her story and pricing would change every time we spoke with her. She told us the contract was out of date and that she does not go strictly off of the contract and that it was just a formality to hold our date. We were told the price we owed which we were fine with. Then the week before the wedding she wanted to meet with us again. Her and her assistant tried to charge us over double the agreed upon price. She was the one who told us when we could get in the Depot the day of the event given the price we paid (Goes by hourly). She told us to come at 2:30pm and then charged us an extra $100 for it. Things she told us came with the rental price we paid she quickly tried to turn around and charge us for. She was very rude and unprofessional. They put together a timeline for the wedding day which was completely opposite of what we had wanted. It only gave us about 10-15 minutes for our ceremony and only 20 minutes for pictures. They were rude when we told them we needed about 20 to 25 minutes for the ceremony, and more time for pictures. Our vendors have said they do not want to do weddings here because of her rudeness and unprofessionalism. She told me for months that they do all the setup, that I was to bring in the decorations and do 1 table to show them how I wanted it and they took care of the rest. The day before the wedding comes and we set up a table and Peggy was so rude to my mom who worked hard on decorations and told her "you don't expect me to do this?". She was nasty about it with mom and told her that there will be a fee if we set anything up. That was not in the contract and Peggy had been telling me for months that this was just something they do. Peggy made so many disrespectful comments about our decorations. We were contracted to have the building until 11pm. At 8:30pm the air was shut off and they were trying to push us out the door. Many of our guests have told us they saw her drinking our beer for our guests. She has posted pictures of our wedding without our consent (and yes, I checked the contract). We contacted the city to get this addressed and they just give us the run around saying meetings are scheduled and we will get a call back within the next few days. We have called multiple times and just keep getting the run around. It is a shame because the money is used for events downtown, but to deal with this kind of person does not make it worth is. She was a nightmare to work with. NEVER AGAIN!

Home Again on Route 66 is home to a lot of cool stuff. In this part of the museum complex there are…read morea lot of memorabilia from Pontiac, Illinois' connection to Route 66. They have gas pumps, road signs, street lights, motor vehicles, and a booth from the original Steak N Shake. The attendants are very friendly and happy to talk about Route 66. This is a must see if you are interested in Route 66 history.

Cute little gift shop for the Route 66 museum. Get all your postcards, tchotchkes and collectibles…read morehere, as well as art from the owner. A note in the time of Covid: masks are required in the museum but clerk was not wearing one (looked like she had just finished lunch but did not put one on when we came in).

Adorable little shopping location for the kiddos! The staff help me pick out a gift for the kid I…read moream babysitting. Shoutout to employees for going above and beyond!

My daughter LOVES it here. It's most definitely worth the drive and fun in the summer time to stay…read morecool!

Can't wait to come back when they add another floor! Love our rock and roll, thank you for sharing…read morememories for us all to see!

From the owner: The Illinois Rock & Roll Museum on Route 66 is committed to preserving the rich history and…read morecontributions of musicians, performers and industry leaders who have impacted the music world and embodied the creative spirit of Illinois. We strive to inform, engage, and inspire our visitors through exhibits and programs that draw upon a diversity of cultures, history, and musical influence.

Griffin Museum of Science and Industry : The Griffin Museum of Science and Industry (Griffin MSI)…read moreis a world-class destination located in the historic Hyde Park neighborhood. Housed in the only remaining building from the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, it is the largest science center in the Western Hemisphere and focuses heavily on immersive, "hands-on" learning rather than traditional static displays. Must-See Exhibits * U-505 Submarine: A massive, authentic German U-boat captured during WWII. You can walk through the vessel (additional ticket required) or explore the surrounding high-tech gallery. * Science Storms: A two-story exhibit where you can step into a 40-foot tornado, trigger a Tesla coil "lightning" strike, and experiment with fire, water, and magnetism. * The Coal Mine: A beloved Chicago tradition that takes you down a mineshaft into a replica of an Illinois coal mine to see the machinery and history of the industry. * Transportation Gallery: Features a Boeing 727 hanging from the ceiling (which you can board), the Pioneer Zephyr train, and a massive model railroad that spans from Seattle to Chicago. * **Henry Crown Space Center: Home to the Apollo 8 Command Module and interactive displays about space exploration and the future of NASA. Overall it's an amazing experience and must do if coming with kids to Chicago.

Wonderful exhibits and location. I've been to the MSI at least ten times, and always find something…read morenew to explore. I would budget at least 4-5 hours to explore the museum. There is so much to see and do: my favourites include the U-Boat (highly recommend the tour for which you have to pay separately), the coal mines (also a separate tour), the weather exhibit, the steel exhibit and the ocean exhibit. The gift shop is also filled with the coolest souvenirs, especially for children. The staff are generally quite helpful, and the bathrooms are clean. The food at the cafeteria is relatively expensive in relation to its quality, so I would recommend finding a place near the museum to eat. Dawn, a local brunch spot a few blocks from the museum (easily within walking distance) comes to mind. If you do want to eat something at the museum, Farmer's Fridge has a vending machine with reasonably priced salads and snacks. There is also a Stan's Donuts in the museum, with free coffee for members. The museum is conveniently connected via public transport. Given that parking at the museum can be expensive, it makes sense to take a bus (there is a bus stop immediately outside the museum) or the metra (the station is a ten minute walk from the museum). Within walking distance of the museum is a beautiful and historic Japanese Garden. If the weather permits, I recommend combining a museum visit with a trip to the Gardem. Visiting the museum does not have to be an expensive affair: there are a number of free days every year for Illinois residents, subsidized rates for Chicago/Illinois residents throughout the year, discounted rates for students, and free entry for University of Chicago students. If you are a non-student and anticipate visiting the museum regularly, especially with children, I recommend getting the membership. Overall, I highly recommend the museum for both visitors and Chicago residents.