Midway Village Museum

It's time to make your way back through the history books at Midway Village Museum, where you can experience life in the early 1900s, set across 148 acres!

Interpreters in authentic period clothing bring Northern Illinois history back to life, through hands-on activities, historical structures and free guided tours.

The Midway Village itself is where you can explore 26 historical structures, just like a 1900s town would have. Kids, just imagine what life would have been like all those years ago as you wander round!

You can visit the general store, and pop into the hardware store. There's a print shop, as well as an authentic blacksmith shop, and even a schoolhouse! We bet it's pretty different to what you know today!

The village also includes a town hall, police station, bank, hotel, hospital and fire station, not to mention a barber shop, two barns, and a plumbing shop! Phew, that's a lot of town to cover!

Also at Midway Village Museum are fun hands-on activities that are great for kids, including operating a turn of the 20th century printing press, and rope making.

Another great place to explore is the Main Museum Center, where you can explore history through the interactive exhibits across 20,000 sq ft of gallery spaces. One of the most acclaimed exhibits is the "Many Faces, One Community", depicting the history of immigration in Rockford.

So step back in time and experience what Illinois life was like over a century ago, would you want to have lived at that time?