Visitor Information

Welcome to Midway Village Museum

Welcome to Midway Village Museum!

Engage • Immerse • Explore

Ranked by visitors to Northern Illinois as a top attraction, Midway Village Museum prides itself as a unique experience combing history, heritage and the exhibition of artifacts to create an unforgettable, educational visitor experience. A popular destination since 1974, Midway Village Museum is a 148-acre campus nestled among trees creating a step back in time ambiance. Located on the museum campus is a Main Museum Center and a 13-acre open air museum, the Victorian Village.

A Big, Little Midwestern City - Rockford, Illinois

Conveniently located, just minutes west of I-90 and the State Street exit, Midway Village Museum offers free daily parking for general admission visitors. Overnight accommodations at five-star hotels and unique locally-owned and franchised restaurants are only minutes away from the museum. For more details on the area, visit  www.gorockford.com. Group tours are welcome and can be arranged by calling 815-397-9112, ext. 106.

Museum Exhibits

The Main Museum Center offers visitors 20,000 square feet of interactive exhibits related to many aspects of life in early Northern Illinois and Rockford’s development and economic impact. Visitors engage and explore history within each permanent gallery and continually changing temporary displays. There are always new and exciting things for visitors to see in the galleries. Self-guided tours are open during regular museum hours.

The Main Museum Center is open to the public. The galleries focus on early Rockford history including the iconic Sock Monkey and the Rockford Peaches. The “Many Faces, One Community” gallery highlights immigration to Rockford and Northern Illinois. Visitors also have the opportunity to learn about industry and aviation and its relevance to Rockford history.

The Victorian Village is a seasonal experience. History interpreters guide visitors through the Victorian Village, comprised of 26 historical buildings filled with artifacts of the era, as well as several beautiful 19th Century gardens that depict life in Northern Illinois form 1890 to 1910. Interpreters in period dress guide one hour tours. The buildings in the village include a General Store, Bank, Barber Shop, Church, Hotel, and one room School House. Guided group tours are also available appropriate for school field trips, church groups, travel clubs, garden clubs and social clubs. Eight enchanting gardens envelop you in the rich history of Victorian horticulture. Private garden tours uncover the mysteries of 19th century garden design and the legacy of heirloom planting. The new Historic Iris Preservation Garden is a collection of rare Irises dating from the1500s to 1910 with private tours during the bloom season.


Hours of Operations

SEASONAL SCHEDULE

JANUARY 3 – MAY 24
Tuesday - Sunday: Museum Self-Guided Tours

APRIL 30 – MAY 3
Museum Closed for Private Event

MAY 25 – JUNE 30
Tuesday - Friday: Village Guided Tours (includes Museum Self-Guided Tours)
Saturday & Sunday: Village Living History Weekends*

JULY 1 – JULY 31
Tuesday - Thursday: Village Guided Tours (includes Museum Self-Guided Tours)
Friday - Sunday: Village Living History Weekends*

AUGUST 1 – SEPTEMBER 2
Tuesday - Friday: Village Guided Tours (includes Museum Self-Guided Tours)
Saturday & Sunday: Village Living History Weekends*

SEPTEMBER 3 – OCTOBER 31
Tuesday - Friday: Museum Self-Guided Tours
Saturday & Sunday: Village Guided Tours (includes Museum Self-Guided Tours)

NOVEMBER 1 – DECEMBER 31
Tuesday - Sunday: Museum Self-Guided Tours

ADMISSION PRICING & HOURS

Main Museum Center Exhibits Self-Guided Tours
$10 Adults • $8 Child (ages 5-12) • $8 Senior (62+)

Victorian Village Guided Tours & Museum Exhibits
$12 Adults • $10 Child (ages 5-12) • $10 Senior (62+)

Victorian Village Living History Weekends & Museum Exhibits
$14 Adults • $12 Child (ages 5-12) • $12 Senior (62+)

Free admission for museum members and children ages 0-4.
Special events at right are priced separately; please consult midwayvillage.com.

Hours of Operation (please check in at Museum Center)
Tuesday - Saturday: 10am-4pm • Sunday: Noon-4pm
Closed Mondays, with the exception of May 27 and September 2.

* Living History Weekends begin on Saturday, May 25 and run through Monday, September 2. During the month of July our Living History Weekends will run Friday through Sunday (see hours at left). Please note that on Saturday, August 3 our schedule and pricing will change for The Roaring Twenties. The Village will be open from 1 - 7pm for this special event.

Beginning Saturday, September 3 and running through Sunday, October 27, the Victorian Village will be open for tours by costumed History Interpreters. On Saturdays, tours will begin on the hour from 11am - 3pm. On Sundays, tours will begin on the hour from Noon - 3pm.

Midway Village Museum outdoor special events are rain or shine with no refunds on admissions. No pets are allowed on the grounds. Midway Village Museum is a smoke free campus.

There is also no drone photography allowed.


Visiting at another time of the year? Download our 2024 Calendar of Events...

2024 Calendar of Events

2024 Calendar of Events

The Calendar of Events details the hours of operation throughout the year, scheduled dates and topics of this year’s favorite signature museum special events, programs and fundraisers. This PDF document is approx. 761 KB.

Download Calendar of Events


Vision

Midway Village Museum will be the primary institution where Rockford’s diverse citizens gather to understand their community’s past and to discuss the challenges of the future.

Important Museum Dates

In 1968, Midway Village Museum was organized by the Swedish, Harlem and Rockford Historical Societies for the purpose of collecting, preserving and interpreting the history of the Rockford area. It began with a donation of land by the Severin Family and has grown dramatically since.

1972 – The original museum site was located on 11 acres donated by the Severin Family: today the site is 137 acres.

1974 – The development of Midway Village opened to represent a typical rural town in Northern Illinois during the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century.

1974 – The original 10,000 square foot Museum Center facility opened.

1976 – The Industrial Gallery opened.

1988 – The Old Doll’s House Museum opened along with additional galleries including the Aviation Gallery and the Carlson Education Gallery.

The LZ Peace Memorial

The LZ Peace Memorial is a place of honor for those veterans who served our country, in war and in peace. This memorial stands as a testimony to those soldiers from Winnebago County who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Vietnam War. Learn more →

LZ Peace Memorial