Set on the Illinois River in central Illinois, Peoria is an attractive, modern city with several attractions. One of these is the contemporary Peoria Riverfront Museum, which features a sculpture garden, a fine art collection and visitors can check out the stars in the fascinating planetarium. Glen Oak Park nearby hosts the Peoria Zoo with several species of animals to visit and the Luthy Botanical Gardens, while to the west of Peoria stands the Wildlife Prairie Park, with its native wildlife, including bears, bisons and cougars, as well as beautiful forest trails to explore. Read more about the area on the Official Tourism Board website and scroll below to check out our guide to Peoria Riverfront Museum in Peoria, Illinois, USA..
Things to do / highlights
Peoria Riverfront Museum has various interesting aspects for visitors, making it ideal for everyone.
Dome Planetarium
For those interested in the stars and beyond, Dome Planetarium offers fascinating shows relating to astronomy and other related topics. See the skies via their full-dome real-sky Zeiss with its real-time Uniview technology, using a live satellite feed. More than 30 digital shows are offered, giving all kinds of education about space, the galaxy and the universe. The system has a huge database of two million stars, moons, planets and galaxies. The shows are suitable for individuals, families and groups.
Giant Screen Theater
The screen in the Giant Screen Theater measures 52 ft (16 m) in height and 70 ft (21 m) in width and offers an incredibly lifelike experience. On top of that, the theater has a state-of-the-art digital audio system with surround sound, so when that dinosaur looms out at you, or an elephant charges towards the camera, you feel like jumping back! The theater offers a range of multimedia films and live art performances. Immersive 3D documentaries include APOLLO 11: First Steps Edition, released to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the celebrated NASA mission, and Marc Elliot’s Art of Film: Stanley Kubrick, relating to The Killing, Paths of Glory, Lolita and the classic 2001: A Space Odyssey.
The Galleries and Collections
Various galleries are worth exploring, including Discovery Worlds, IHSA Peak Performance, Illinois River Encounter and the African American Wall of Fame. The permanent collections include the Duryea Motor Trap, relating to Charles and J. Frank Duryea, the first Americans to design, mass-produce and market gasoline-powered cars, with various fascinating vehicles to view.
The Sculpture Garden
This is a pleasant place to stroll and relax in the fresh air while exploring the various artworks created by mostly Illinois artists, surrounded by attractive native plants.
Things to Buy
Museum Store
When enjoying a visit to any attraction, it is always great to buy a souvenir of your visit, or gifts for the family. The Museum store offers a range of locally made items to purchase as souvenirs of the visit, including Peoria T-shirts and books. Other interesting options include Amethyst Towers and Selenite Wands. There is a selection of unique art and science gifts, as well as star maps and even space ice cream! There is also a selection of local art is on sale. If you can’t decide what to buy as a gift, gift cards and gift certificates are also available.
Travelers' tips
Wheelchair friendly
The Peoria Riverfront Museum has its own parking garage, as well as elevators, making the museum convenient to access for those confined to wheelchairs.
Museum membership
For anyone planning to visit the Peoria Riverfront Museum on a regular basis, the most affordable way is to purchase a membership. Not only is this an investment in the community, but it also offers free admission to the museum throughout the year. Basic membership is 90 USD for two adults or 110 USD for a family.
How to get there
By car
The quickest route from Downtown Peoria to the Peoria Riverfront Museum is via Main Street as follows:
- Head southwest on NE Jefferson St towards Hamilton Blvd.
- Turn left at the second cross street onto Main St.
- Turn right onto Southwest Water Street and the museum will be on the right.
Parking
The museum has its own parking garage where parking is free. There is also street parking available.
On foot
Walking from Downtown Peoria to the museum takes around eight minutes to cover the 0.4 mi (0.6 km) distance. Use the same directions as noted under the driving section.
By public transport
Bus No. 14 takes nine minutes to get to the museum from downtown Peoria and runs every 30 minutes.
Uber or LYFT
Both services are available in Peoria. Check out the apps on your cell phone.
How to book tickets
Tickets can be bought at the door, or alternatively, visitors can head to the official ticket purchase website to make a prior booking for a visit or special event.
Peoria Riverfront Museum information
Posted by Peoria Riverfront Museum on Thursday, 26 December 2019
Address: 222 SW Washington St, Peoria, Illinois, USA
Opening hours: Tue - Fri: 10am - 5pm; Sat: 10am - 5pm, 10am - 8pm; Sun: 12pm - 5pm (closed on Mon & public holidays)
Cost: From 9 - 16 USD
Official website: Peoria Riverfront Museum
Department of tourism: Enjoy Illinois
History
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