Peoria Riverfront Museum facts for kids
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| Established | October 20, 2012 |
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| Location | 222 SW Washington Street Peoria, Illinois |
| Type | Art, science, history, achievement, planetarium, film society |
| Public transit access |  CityLink |
The Peoria Riverfront Museum is a special place in Peoria, Illinois. It's a museum that has a little bit of everything! You can explore art, science, history, and amazing achievements all in one spot. It's even known as the only museum of its kind in the United States.
This museum sits right by the Illinois River in downtown Peoria. It's a unique place because it gets its money from people who donate and become members. The building itself is owned by Peoria County. The museum has five big galleries and over 30 smaller areas. These spaces are always changing with new and exciting exhibits. You might see huge international shows or cool items from the museum's own collection.
One of the coolest parts is the 40 ft (12 m) dome planetarium. Here, you can watch amazing shows about space and stars. There's also a film society with a 70 ft (21 m) Giant Screen Theater. It's one of the biggest screens used by a film society in the whole U.S.!
The museum works with famous groups like the Smithsonian and the American Museum of Natural History. This helps them bring in incredible exhibits. Some things you might always find include the Center for American Decoys and "Bronzeville to Harlem: An American Story." The museum has a huge collection of 18,000 objects. They rotate these items so there's always something new to see. The museum opened its 87,000 sq ft (8,100 m2) building on October 20, 2012. It took over from the Lakeview Museum of Arts & Sciences, which started in 1965.
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What You Can Explore
The Peoria Riverfront Museum has many different types of collections. You can see beautiful fine art like paintings and sculptures. There's also decorative art, which includes furniture, ceramics, and textiles.
Folk Art and History
The museum also features folk art, which is art made by ordinary people. You can find Native American, African, and Asian art too. If you love science, check out the natural science items. These include cool rocks, minerals, insects, and shells. History buffs will enjoy historic items like an old Duryea Motor Wagon Company car. There are also old theater posters and items related to square dancing. The museum has a very important collection of carved wildfowl decoys.
Our Solar System Model
Did you know the museum is part of a giant model of our Solar System? It's the third largest scale model in the world! The museum itself has a 46 feet (14 m) wide model of the Sun. A tiny 5 inches (13 cm) model of the Earth is almost a mile away. Neptune, one of the farthest planets, is 28 miles away! This huge model includes all the planets, dwarf planets, and even some comets around the globe.
How the Museum Grew
The Peoria Riverfront Museum building is very modern and eco-friendly. It was finished by architects Dewberry and Williams Brothers Construction. It officially opened on October 20, 2012. This new museum replaced the Lakeview Museum of Arts and Sciences. The Lakeview Museum had been started by local people in 1965.
From Lakeview to Riverfront
Officials from the Lakeview Museum worked hard to create the new Riverfront Museum. Their collections, leaders, and staff became the foundation for the new museum. This made sure that the knowledge and treasures from the old museum continued.
Funding and Visitors
The Peoria Riverfront Museum was built with money from private donations. The city of Peoria also helped by donating the land. Voters in Peoria County approved a special sales tax to help with the building. The museum's daily operations are supported by donations and money earned from things like ticket sales. The building and grounds are owned by Peoria County. They are leased to the museum through a special agreement.
The museum charges an admission fee for people who are not members. Since it opened, about 150,000 people visit the museum each year. Even during the pandemic in 2020, about 30,000 people connected with the museum online every week!
