2013 Travel Guide
Enjoy Illinois App
Showing 1-42 of 42 items found in Arts & Culture
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Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site
Illinois' only United Nations World Heritage Site. This 2,200-acre site preserves the central section of the largest prehistoric Indian city north of Mexico. An Interpretive Center presents a coherent account of this sophisticated prehistoric culture. Climb Monk's Mound, see the film and life-size village. Don't miss annual events that focus on Native American culture.
CITY: Collinsville
National Great Rivers Museum
Located adjacent to the Melvin Price Locks and Dam, this museum is dedicated to telling the story of the Mississippi River, from its colorful history to its modern-day role as a major transportation corridor. The museum features kid-friendly, interactive and computer animated exhibits. Steer a towboat through the locks and dam via simulator, measure your water consumption or come face-to-face with river fish in the aquarium.
CITY: Alton
Alton Riverfront Amphitheater
The 4,000 seat Alton Riverfront Amphitheater hosts a variety of events from community festivals to live concerts throughout the summer months. With the Mighty Mississippi River as a backdrop, bring your blanket and spread out for an evening under the stars. Check out our website for a list of upcoming events.
CITY: Alton
Piasa Bird Mural at Piasa Park
Located on the edge of Alton, Piasa Park is an attractive stop for motorists, picnickers and bicyclists. The park is set at the base of the giant Piasa Bird mural that is painted on the side of a huge bluff. A large granite arrowhead tells the story of the Piasa Bird, which, according to legend, Chief Ouatoga and his 20 warriors killed with poison darts.
CITY: Alton
Beall Mansion Historic Tours
Tour the mansion built as a wedding present by railroad baron and riverboat magnate Z.B. Job for his son and bride Mary Drummond, heiress to the Drummond tobacco fortune. Today this three-story mansion serves as a bed and breakfast.
CITY: Alton
Alton Little Theater
Entertaining audiences since 1934, the Alton Little Theater offers a season of great live theatrical performances from dramas to comedies to everyone's favorite musicals. The Alton Little Theater is one of the oldest community theaters in the state of Illinois.
CITY: Alton
Gateway Geyser Fountain
As the world's tallest fountain, the Gateway Geyser Fountain reaches 627 feet in height, and is centered in a pond that holds five million gallons of water.
CITY: East St. Louis
Alton Museum of History and Art
Winged monsters, explorers, riverboats and a gentle giant. The Alton Museum of History & Art shows the crossroads of American history in Alton. The museum is located in the historic Loomis Hall across from the Wadlow statue. Loomis Hall is the oldest building in the state of Illinois continuously utilized for education. One of the most popular rooms, the Wadlow Room, pays tribute to Alton's "Gentle Giant" and the World's Tallest Man. The Pioneer Room explores the history of Alton from the Lewis & Clark Expedition to the Civil War with exhibits on Elijah Lovejoy, the Lincoln-Douglas Debates and the "Alton Route" on the Underground Railroad. Hours: Wednesday - Saturday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Sunday 1 - 4 p.m.
CITY: Alton
Mississippi Mud Pottery
Watch the potters at Mississippi Mud spin a creation right before your eyes. The potters work daily making dinnerware, lamps, vases, planters, casseroles, pottery and custom-designed ware. Their creations are made from natural clay materials mined in the Midwest region, with lead-free glazes that are microwave, oven proof and dishwasher safe. The pottery on display makes a great gift as a beautiful piece of art, as well as practical dishes for use in the home.
CITY: Alton
Beall Mansion - An Elegant Bed & Breakfast Inn
Welcome to the mansion built as a wedding gift. Designed by Lucas Pfeiffenberger and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this elegant mansion features 18 ionic columns, eleven and a half foot ceilings, crystal chandeliers and marble and bronze statuary throughout. Let us pamper you with sumptuous feather beds, whirlpools for two, 24 hour "all you can eat" chocolate buffet, and optional gourmet breakfast in bed. Free wi-fi. In room massage, spa, golf and corporate packages available.
CITY: Alton
Alton Stained Glass Works
Visit this working studio to shop for hand-crafted works of art - lamps, window panes, ornaments, sun catchers, glass beads and more. From decorative items to window panes, make a purchase from the floor or have Lynne custom design a piece for you and your home. Classes are also available. Hours: Tuesday 5:30 - 8:30 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. or by appointment.
CITY: Alton
Jacoby Arts Center
Jacoby Arts Center is dedicated to creating opportunities for individual artists in their pursuit of artistic excellence and economic success. The stunning gallery presents works of regional and national artists and the retail shop, known as The Artist Shop, showcases items in a variety of media while providing artists a retail outlet to their audiences.
CITY: Alton
National Lampoon's Vacation - Poplar Street Bridge
In this wacky comedy a Chicago family takes a hysterical road trip across country to reach a theme park on the West Coast. Illinois scenes include Buckingham Fountain in downtown Chicago's Grant Park (seen spouting its famous cascades of water in the background as the family leaves Chicago) and the Poplar Street Bridge that spans the Mississippi River in East St. Louis (where the family gets lost).
CITY: East St. Louis
Main Street Gallery
The Main Street Gallery was created to display the works of juried artist. The art is professionally shown and is available for sale. Blown glass, pottery, paintings, drawings, metalwork, and jewelry are just a few of the art pieces available.
CITY: Edwardsville
The Wildey Theatre
Opened in 1909 as an opera house and a meeting hall for the Independent Order of Oddfellows, the Wildey has undergone many transformations through the years. The most recent one is a $2 million renovation inside and out.
CITY: Edwardsville
Benjamin Godfrey Memorial Chapel
Originally called Monticello, the village of Godfrey was named for a Massachusetts sea captain, Benjamin Godfrey who founded the Monticello Seminary in 1838. One of the more rapidly growing Illinois community colleges, Lewis & Clark Community College, now calls the Monticello campus home. Located on the campus, the Benjamin Godfrey Chapel, built in 1854, has become a landmark in the community. This church has been designated as one of only six churches outside of the northeastern United States that are authentic copies of New England church architecture and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
CITY: Godfrey
Old Fire Engine Museum
Learn how firemen fought fires throughout history. See all of the antique firefighting memorabilia.
CITY: Granite City
Collinsville Historical Society Museum
Local and world histories are combined in these exhibits.
CITY: Collinsville
Architectural Ceramics
Architectural Ceramics has a great selection of ceramics for home decor, gifts, and more.
CITY: Edwardsville
Iron Decor & More
Iron Decor & More provides many decorative items for the home, yard, garden or business... any space you can think of. Browse the shop for hand-blown glass gazing balls and a variety of iron works, including handcrafted iron tables, chairs, fencing, decorative sculptures, kinetic wind sculptures and more.
CITY: Grafton
Old Six Mile Museum in the Emmert-Zippel House
This 158-year-old home has displays of historic items including Civil War artifacts, a Native American collection, and 1830s furnishings.
CITY: Granite City
Coal Museum
A quilt from the Civil War, coal mining memorabilia, and more are located in the Marissa Academy Building, formerly a two-year prep school built in 1867.
CITY: Collinsville
Log Cabin Museum
In the park next to Hamel School, this building was built between 1820 and 1852 and moved to Hamel in 1980. Artifacts from the period are displayed inside.
CITY: Hamel
Fulkerson Mansion and Farm Museum
Colonel William H. Fulkerson's mansion and farm museum contains many rare agricultural items and equipment with emphasis on large, rare farm steam traction engines, utilized for plowing the prairie, threshing the grain, and for powering early sawmills. The estate is 14-room Southern-style Victorian mansion that has remained virtually unchanged to this day. It was placed on the National Historic Register of Historic Places in 1998.
CITY: Jerseyville
Edwardsville Children's Museum
The museum focuses on expanding young minds through a variety of educational programs. It is available for birthday parties and field trips.
CITY: Edwardsville
Yanda Log Cabin
An authentic log cabin located in the heart of Glen Carbon, it has the original ceiling rafters and attic floor. The sidewalks are made from a 1912 school building. The Cabin is used for group activities and community events. Tours by appointment.
CITY: Glen Carbon
Colonel Benjamin Stephenson House
This two-story brick home is a wonderful example of Federal-style architecture from 1820. Col. Stephenson, who was a contemporary of Lewis & Clark, moved there in 1809.
CITY: Edwardsville
Gateway Classic Cars & Museum
Car enthusiasts are tempted by every make from Model T's to muscle cars. Shop the Antique Mall for Collectibles or attend their monthly sales and auctions.
CITY: Fairmont City
Governor Coles Memorial
This memorial in Valley View Cemetery honors Edward Coles, the second governor of Illinois (1822-1826). A former slaveowner from Virginia, Coles became an abolitionist and won the 1822 gubernatorial election as the candidate of anti-slavery forces.
CITY: Edwardsville
SummerStage
SummerStage is an amateur thespian organization that began in 1981. The group presents five programs a year including dramas, comedies, and musicals.
CITY: Granite City
Katherine Dunham Museum
Katherine Dunham is probably best known as a legendary dancer who propelled the awareness of the cultures of the African Diaspora via her choreography. Her famous dance technique reflects a fusion of many cultures. Miss Dunham was a true renaissance woman. She was an artist, anthropologist, author, activist, manager, movie star, producer, educator, wife, mother, and so much more. The world needs to know about her wonderful life story and there's no better learning environment than the Museum and Centers for Arts and Humanities she created. The museum houses Miss Dunham's outstanding collection of symbolic and functional art, including more than 250 African and Caribbean art objects from more than 50 countries.
CITY: East St. Louis
Madison County Historical Society Museum & Archives
The 1836 Weir House is filled with an amazing display of artifacts representing local and county history, in addition to a historic research library.
CITY: Edwardsville
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Alton Little Theater: Sex, Please, We're 60
Mrs. Stancliffe's Rose Cottage Bed & Breakfast has been successful for many years because her guests (nearly all women) return year after year. Her next door neighbor, the elderly, silver-tongued "Bud the Stud" Davis, believes they come to spend time with him in romantic liaisons. The prim and proper Mrs. Stancliffe steadfastly denies this, but reluctantly accepts the fact that "Bud the Stud" is good for business. Her other neighbor and would-be suitor, Henry Mitchell, is a retired chemist who has developed a blue pill called "Venusia" to increase the libido of menopausal women. The pill has not been tested until Bud gets his hands on some and the fun begins. The women mix up Bud's Viagra pills with the Venusia, and we soon discover that it has a strange effect on men: it gives them all the symptoms of menopause, complete with hot flashes, mood swings, weeping and irritability! When the mayhem settles down, all the women find their lives moving in new and surprising directions. This production is scheduled for March 13 - 16 and March 20 - 23, 2014.
CITY: Alton
Arts of Fire
Arts of Fire has a pottery painting studio, ceramics painting, silver jewelry, and parties.
CITY: Edwardsville
Historic Jerseyville Courthouse Square
Built in 1893, this historic masonry courthouse sits at the center of town and serves as the hub of activity for the entire county. The courthouse is currently listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Tours of the courthouse are available for groups with reservations. Hours: Monday - Thursday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday, 8 a.m. to noon
CITY: Jerseyville
Crocker & Springer
Early American folk pottery is the specialty of nationally known potters Jan & Jonathan Wright. They create pie birds, butter crocks, Pennsylvania wide mouth jars and whimsical chicken banks among other items using a salt glaze to impart a distinctive orange peel-texture finish on these early-American style pieces. Visit the studio to watch the duo fashion clay into brilliant pieces of art. Hours: Tuesday - Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Sunday, 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.
CITY: Elsah
O'Brians Top of the Town
Piano bar and entertainment lounge. Dinner and cocktails, wine dinners, tastings and live music.
CITY: Staunton
Feb 2
Alton Little Theater: Moonlight and Magnolias
Legendry Hollywood producer David O. Selznick has a problem. He has just fired the director of Gone With the Wind and the script is on its umpteenth version. He desperately needs a new director and writer -- immediately! However, the writer he wants, Ben Hecht, has never read the novel and his director of choice, Victor Fleming, is not sold on the success of the storyline; but Selznick believes in this movie so much that he locks the three of them in his office for five days, with bananas and peanuts as their only food, to pull together a new script. As work begins, Selznick and Fleming attempt to act out all the characters in the novel while Hecht types. Take a fun, farcical look at the behind-the-scene birth of one of the most beloved films of all time. This production is scheduled for Jan. 23 - 26 and Jan. 30 - Feb. 2, 2014.
CITY: Alton
Children's Museum of Edwardsville
Toddlers to 12-year-olds can enjoy the unique interactive exhibits and seasonal events at this fun children's museum.
CITY: Edwardsville
Sacagawea Statue
A beautiful sculpture of Sacagawea graces the campus of Lewis and Clark Community College in Godfrey, Illinois. The piece was crafted by Glenna Goodacre who also designed the image on the Sacajewea $1 coin.
CITY: Godfrey
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