Description
Latest news about Pontiac museums as of 6/26/20:
As of Friday, June 26, our Hall of Fame and Museum in Pontiac, IL is reopened as we enter Phase 4 of Illinois’ Restore Illinois plan.
Hours of operation are 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM daily through the end of the year.
Hand sanitizing stations will be available at the entrance to the museums and on every publicly available floor of the buildings. Visitors are encouraged to use the hand sanitizing stations often; as well as wear a mask, refrain from touching displays, keep 6’ from other visitors or staff, and do not visit if you or a member of your household are feeling ill. We will also be limiting the number of visitors able to enter the building at one time in order to comply with distancing requirements and asking that visitors are in groups of 9 or less. Cleaning procedures have been increased at all of our museums with high-touch surfaces being cleaned a minimum of once every two hours and all surfaces being cleaned daily. Weekly deep cleans will include the use of an electro-static cleaning machine.
At the Pontiac Museum Complex (home to the Illinois Route 66 Association’s Hall of Fame and Museum and the Livingston County War Museum) we are asking all guests to enter through the front glass doors (on the north side of the building facing Howard Street). The gift shop will re-open on July 5 and the doors to the north and east of that area will be exit only.
We ask that guests have patience as we adjust to this new normal and know that we cannot wait to get back to playing in Pontiac with you!
Get a complete Route 66 Experience all under one roof!
The Route 66 Association of Illinois Hall of Fame and Museum features thousands of artifacts and memorabilia related to Route 66 – The Mother Road.
Our Museum boasts:
Friendly and knowledgeable guides
Route 66 memorabilia from Hall of Fame members!
Route 66 Artist and Icon, Bob Waldmire’s bus and van!
Travel resources – explore the highway by visiting Route 66 towns on our flip-rack library!
A great photo op with the largest Route 66 shield mural, painted on our museum’s outside back wall!*
SO much more!
Destination Type: Museum
Hours
Open 7 Days a Week!
(Holiday exceptions: Easter Sunday, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.)
Summer Hours (start April 1st)
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Winter Hours (start November 1st)
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Location
Address: 110 West Howard Street, Pontiac, IL, United States
Phone: (815) 844-4566
Web Site:
Testimonials:
Lyn Dennis (via our Facebook Fan page) says,
Gotta say that we just returned from spending time on The Mother Road and Illinois has done itself proud in trying to maintain the history of Rt 66. Pontiac deserves a medal. We would like to have spent HOURS there. We’ve promised ourselves a return trip. 🙂
We’re so glad we stopped here on our Route 66 trip! I can’t wait to visit again and see and meet more nice people. This Museum is truly a vibrant, changing tribute to the road.
View a slideshow of our fabulous museum – the next best thing to seeing it in person (and we hope you will!)
If you’d like to loan or donate Route 66 items to the Museum, please bring them in on Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon.
If you’d like to volunteer your time, please email Jim Jones at ng9e@verizon.net or Cathie Stevanovich at cathiesb@earthlink.net
Thanks to everyone for your support!
(815) 844-4566
Our Hall of Fame and Museum is handicapped-accessible. A wheelchair is available for use during your stay. An elevator to the second floor is available as well.
Open 7 Days a Week!
(Holiday exceptions: Easter Sunday, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.)
Winter Hours (start November 1st)
10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Summer Hours (start April 1st)
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
The Quintessential Route 66 Photo Op
*The Route 66 Shield mural on the back of our Hall of Fame and Museum, created by Diaz Sign Art of Pontiac, IL is the largest painted Route 66 Shield in the world. Since its creation in 2007, it has become a huge tourist attraction of its own merit and is an extremely popular photo op for visitors to Pontiac.
To celebrate the popularity of this quintessential Route 66 photo op located literally in our own back yard, we’re compiling a slideshow of photos of it taken by visitors to the mural. It’s an ever-growing collection – is your photo included?
Click to submit your photos of/with our pride and joy, the Route 66 Shield.
