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    Route 66 Association

    4.3 (16 reviews)
    Closed 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

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    Steven T.

    This is one of the museums in the building that has two other museums and its on the first floor which is free but donations are appreciated. It's very small and the flow starts in Chicago and ends in Ca with everything in between. It's got gas pumps, an old van filled with memorabilia, old photos, articles etc etc. Its a 30 minute walk through if you look at everything and you have the two other museums to look at, the whole building of museums and grounds took me about an hour and it's all in one spot.

    Thad K.

    Was a really fun stop on a short trip through Route 66. Free admission into both the Route 66 museum and the war museum that is attached to it. Very friendly staff and explained me a lot of history of the route. Lots to see if you're into the whole old American experience!

    Theresa C.

    I really enjoy going down to Pontiac to visit the museum. It's not the biggest or most interactive museum around, but it's still very informative. It encompasses the whole spirit and people who helped Route 66 thrive in its golden years. The Hall of Fame and Museum is housed in Pontiac's old firehouse. The building is very impressive and from the outside you would think the museum would be huge. In fact it's not, as most of the exhibits are on the lower floor. Honestly, there is not a whole lot to see but what they do have on display is pretty interesting. At most, and at a leisurely pace, you would spend maybe two hours there. There is a second and third level with photos of historical places around the Route. The building layout is a little funky. One turn around the corner and you're in the neighboring War Museum, which is housed next door. The best part is it's free admission (with donations accepted). It may not be the best place to take the kiddies unless they are really into the history of Route 66. Despite that, the volunteers and artifacts inside make it worth the trip in Pontiac. Don't forget to check out the giant mural in the back of building with the Route 66 shield. Plus there are other murals painted around downtown Pontiac.

    Bonnie E.

    Sunday morning, when you've just seen some friends off at Lou Mitchell's for their three week Route 66 adventure, and then later find yourself in Homewood at a vinyl record show and the guy from whom you're purchasing records is a long-time member of the Rt. 66 Preservation Association and he tells you about this museum and that it houses the VW van of the well-known Rt 66 artist, Bob Waldmire...of course, you spontaneously, at 2:30 pm do the road trip to Pontiac. Why? Well, spontaneity needs no reason but here's one: museums often are closed on Mondays, so if I have the opportunity on a Sunday, I'll jump. (hallelujah! Note: this museum is open seven days a week, 9am - 5pm.) This record guy had also alluded to the fact that Pontiac is a sleepy town and I've long been aware of this fact from having worked with someone in college who grew up here...and somehow, I'd still never visited. (Reason number two if you're counting.) Usually spontaneity has some basis in "that's been on the back burner...do it!" Anyway, how much could there be to see!? So, I arrived here at about 4:30 pm (note: it's really only about a 90 minute drive from Chicagoland, but well, you can't fight a White Castle road trip craving.) A lady named Rose greeted me and gave me the lay of the land, and well, there's SO much more here than can be accomplished in 30 minutes. I'd easily give this town at least three or four hours and this museum itself a good 60 - 90 minutes. Not only does it house the 1972 VW Microbus (Pixar's character "Fillmore" is based on it), but out back, there is the yellow Chevy bus that Waldmire converted into a home. He traveled Rt 66 in these and when out west, he parked in Hackberry, Arizona. Here's some info on Bob: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Waldmire The museum is packed with Illinois Rt 66 memoribilia - from town to town - as you navigate the glass cases. Because it's a dedicated ILLINOIS Route 66 museum, it gets more locally in-depth. Most of my Rt 66 knowledge has been derived from stopping at the Powerhouse in Kingman, AZ...if you're there in the summer, it's like a mini UN - you hear the languages of the world. It's fascinating all the people from other countries that are still so taken with America's history of the "The Mother Road." Obviously, many of those same visitors who are out in Kingman have checked in here and Rose faithfully keeps a log. On the weekend that I was here - countries represented were: Australia, Canada, Italy, Greece, Great Britain, Brazil, South Africa, UAE, Turkey, Namibia to name a few. She tells me that they just had a group called "The Czech Republic Route 66 Club." This museum has logged as many as 19 different countries in one business day. I highly recommend a visit here as well as to the "Home Away Gift Shop" and the Veteran's Museum in the same historic building, the Courthouse, and a "mural" or musuem-walk through Pontiac (follow the red and/or blue footsteps.) The museum is free but donations are appreciated. Note: sometimes if there's more than one worker (more likely on a weekend), they'll open Waldmire's bus out back.

    Making the best of available space: art exhibit in former jail cell, IL Route 66 Museum, Pontiac, Illinois, USA, Oct. 2015.

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    Review Highlights - Route 66 Association

    Free admission into both the Route 66 museum and the war museum that is attached to it.

    Mentioned in 3 reviews

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    The Eagle - The cast of "Winter Wonderettes" - a dinner theatre performance December 2016

    The Eagle

    1.0(1 review)
    0.1 mi

    We wanted to have our wedding reception here, we are getting married in May.The phone number on…read moretheir website and on their doors no one answers and if you leave a message no one will call you back. It took 2 months to figure out that we had to call town hall to get ahold of them. The woman was very sweet and helpful in the beginning and had stated that they were in the process of getting a few things in order for them to get business going and because we wanted a dry wedding we should have no problem booking the date.She had strung us along without booking us and avoiding our calls for 4 months before I had figured to call her other business to get ahold of her where she told me she couldn't give us the date due to short staff. Now 3 months until our wedding and we do not have a reception venue yet, all due to the negligence of this woman. They have no intention of stating on their website that there is no one to answer the phone nor to replace it with the number for town hall so that they can get business and customers. I am very disappointed in the eagle theater and how they choose to run their business and warn others of the above statements for future references.

    From the owner: The Eagle Performing Arts and Conference Center is a flexible space that can be utilized for dinner…read moretheater, concerts, recitals, meetings, retreats, conferences, receptions and other special events. Depending on the usage and the seating arrangements, the venue can accommodate up to 250 people. Catering and/or beverage services are available through approved vendors. The stage is equipped with appropriate lighting and sound systems. To reserve the Eagle Performing Arts and Conference Center for your next big event, contact us by phone at (815) 844-1187.

    Photos
    The Eagle - The beautifully gilded proscenium on our stage.

    The beautifully gilded proscenium on our stage.

    The Eagle - An exterior shot of the building, including the marquee

    An exterior shot of the building, including the marquee

    The Eagle - An exterior view of the facade and marquee with the road full of motorcycles from a private event.

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    An exterior view of the facade and marquee with the road full of motorcycles from a private event.

    Route 66 Association - museums - Updated May 2026

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