Winter hours are: November thru March

10:00-4:00 Tues thru Fri.

Only the village exteriors are open

Spring and Summer hours are: April thru Oct.

10:00-4:00 Tues. thru Sat.

1:00-4:00 Sunday

July and August have Thurs. extended hour to 8p.m.

The museum is centered around the 1883 Martin-Mitchell house which is undergoing some restoration work currently. The museum is careful to allow various parts of the home to be open even with construction occurring. The era that this museum seems to target are the years in Illinois history from 1830-1880 as you explore life in a small farm community. Visit the Blacksmiths shop, the Chapel, or the Tavern and be entertained and educated by the volunteer interpreters in period costume doing things and living their day as it would have been done long ago. It's good for all of us to see how to cook on a wood stove, how to make soap over an open fire, or to see that candles were made at home not bought from Walmart! The interpreters will really make your visit special with their stories as they try to pull you back into time. It's really fun to watch them teach the kids games that would have been played long before Pac-man and TV.!