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The Legacy of Our Generation-Museum Square The Peoria Riverfront Museum will be a journey into the past, present, and future. Slated for completion in 2009 along the Illinois riverfront in Peoria’s downtown, the Museum is a collaborative effort of Lakeview Museum, Peoria Historical Society, African American Hall of Fame Museum, Peoria Regional Museum Society, Heartland Foundation, Illinois High School Association (IHSA), The Nature Conservancy and you. Located on an entire city block, Peoria Riverfront Museum will be home to more than 70,000 square feet of collections, exhibits, and programs designed to transport you into many facets of art, history, science, and nature. The Museum will be part of Peoria Museum Square sharing a home with the Caterpillar Visitor Center as well as commercial and retail partners. Taking full advantage of the beautiful river setting as well as green space right in the heart of an urban environment, Peoria Museum Square will be a destination that will provide an unparalleled educational and entertaining experience for the entire family. This $100+ million project will be a tremendous draw to our region and will highlight why Peoria occupies such a unique place in our history, our economy and our world. Check back often for updates as construction gets underway. Creating a Cultural Campus in the Heartland The new Museum represents a rare opportunity to positively impact the lives of virtually everyone in the Heartland. The Museum, in tandem with the Caterpillar Visitor Center, will attract more than 300,000 visitors each year to share in the experiences that the new Museum brings with it. On a wider scale, the Museum is a chance to help re-shape our region and spur future growth. Because a project of this nature touches so many aspects of our society-learning, cultural, economic-it will play a major role in giving our region a competitive advantage over similar communities in the Midwest. Core Objectives Learning Opportunities The new Museum is a chance to make its contribution to lifelong learning even greater. By focusing on interdisciplinary learning-the fusion of art, history, science and nature into one dynamic learning environment-the Museum will serve as a role model for the development and growth of all who visit. Strengthening the education system has become a major priority in the region, and the Museum can be an important part by offering area school districts a tremendous resource for the development of our children. Cultural Opportunities The Museum would serve as a major cultural center for the Heartland. As the only museum in downstate Illinois to be Affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution-that connection brings a powerful cultural presence to the region, allowing its people to see exhibits that they’d normally have to travel great distances to experience. It’s a chance to contribute to the appreciation of the world around us, right in our own backyard. In addition to the Smithsonian Affiliation, the Museum will have a chance to bring exciting national and international exhibitions to the Heartland. Economic Opportunities The new Museum will have a tremendous impact on our economic climate. The impact will be immediate-the Museum Project has inspired the $30 million Caterpillar Visitor Center and will spur more than $100 million in investments as the Museum Square project is developed. When completed, it’s estimated that visitors will bring an annual minimum of $14 million directly into our area, creating an opportunity for a “halo effect” that can help diversify our economy, keeping it stable and growing. From downtown revitalization efforts to retention of professional talent and job creation, the Museum is a chance to show the world all the positive things that our region has to offer. The Museum will also be an important recruitment tool for local businesses and institutions, attracting top professionals and bringing new people-as well as their talents and ideas-into the community. Project Components The new museum isn’t just a chance to change the way we think about our Museum - it’s a chance to change the way we think about museums as a whole. Featuring an innovative design that triples the current amount of exhibition space, the new Museum will truly be a one-of-a-kind project that will serve as a landmark for the Central Illinois region. Caterpillar Visitor Center Featuring The Caterpillar Experience, this multimillion-dollar project showcases the company’s leadership in the industries it serves and will be an important complement to the Museum. While technically two separate projects, the Museum and Caterpillar Visitor Center are both vitally important to each other’s success, and the synergy achieved between the two will play a big part in the transformation of downtown Peoria and the Heartland region. Collections Galleries As part of permanent and touring exhibits, the galleries feature a wide range of displays with artistic and cultural significance. Giant-screen Theater Using the largest-format film (70mm) available, the theater envelopes viewers with educational/documentary films during the daytime and first-run theatrical films during the evening. IHSA Replay Theater Focusing on remarkable youth achievements in both academics and athletics, the replay theater will be made possible through a partnership with the Illinois High School Association. Illinois River Encounter Following a virtual timeline, visitors walk along the Illinois River, experience a progression from Ice Age to present day. Imaginarium/Planetarium A digital dome, multipurpose Planetarium covers a wide range of topics, including earth sciences, astronomy, space exploration and our role in the universe. Oral History Center A resource for researching the past, the Center includes information about civil rights leaders and other role models and will provide a home for the African-American Wall of Fame. Grand Lobby The entrance lobby will set the tone for the visitor’s experience. Open to everyone for no charge, it will contain information booths, ticket counters and controlled access gateways into paid admission areas, as well as access for all to the gift shop and the café. Hands-On Arena Science activities will be featured in the Hands-On Arena, where visitors can participate in interactive exhibits that explore principles of science and technology. The Street: Peoria Stories The Street is a dynamic and flexible gallery at the core of the museum. It looks at the region’s history and evolution, its community and people, industries, political structure, transport, communications networks and urban infrastructure. Dispersed Exhibits The dispersed exhibits will be integrated by the architects into the fabric of the building. They will include biographical plaques, wall mounted quotations, single-objects cases, icons and visible collection vaults. Children’s Discovery Worlds Discovery Worlds will feature hands-on activities for small children not capable of reading or interacting with the more sophisticated exhibits. Also included will be an artificial world for slightly older children to explore that can be transformed into different thematic settings. Arts & Science Plaza The outdoor plaza in the center of Museum Square will be a free space drawing crowds for events, relaxation activities and play. The plaza will include sculpture installations and a play area with science interactives. National Changing Feature Gallery Will host temporary exhibitions in a wide range of subject matters that are relevant to the region’s interests. This space is capable of handling a wide variety of immersive environments. Contemplative Galleries Flexible adjacent galleries that will feature highlights from the Fine Arts & Folk Arts collections in addition to temporary exhibitions and traveling loan collections. Illinois River Learning Center Featuring a Multi-purpose Auditorium, Art/Science Humanities Labs-Classrooms and Pre-Kindergarten.