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Rockford
Rockford's
culture and tourism scene satisfies the fun-seeking appetite in everyone
An
abundance of cultural and entertainment opportunities await you in Rockford.
With a variety of museums, art galleries, theaters, libraries, indoor
and outdoor activities and much more - Rockford truly satisfies the
fun-seeking appetite.
Travel back in time as you explore the Burpee
Museum of Natural History’s state-of-the-art geology, paleontology,
biology and archeology exhibits. This exciting museum features full-scale
Tyrannosaurus Rex dinosaur and Woolly Mammoth skeletons. Other exhibits
include a prehistoric coal forest with intermittent thunderstorms, fossils,
plants and a Native American exhibit featuring three culture groups.
Tours are available.
Children of all ages enjoy the excitement found at the Discovery Center
Museum. Offering over 200 art and science exhibits as well as a planetarium
and outdoor science park, the Museum abounds with adventure. Sweep the
skies in a flight simulator, explore an outdoor cave, or journey through
the infinity tunnel.
Experience a turn-of the century village featuring 24 historic buildings
situated on 137 acres at the Midway Village Museum Center. Walk through
a general store, one-room schoolhouse, blacksmith shop, hospital, bank,
fire station and more. Explore Rockford’s history while visiting
the indoor galleries.
Adorned with intricate woodworking, parquet floors, wall murals, sculptures
and antiques, the 1865 Tinker Swiss Cottage Museum offers a touch from
the Victorian past. This cottage houses authentic furnishings and artwork,
while the restored circular rose garden features heirloom roses once
belonging to its founder, Robert Tinker.
Rockford also contains several home museums displaying Rockford’s
heritage, including the Erlander House (Swedish) and Graham Ginestra
House (Italian). Each museum represents various cultural and ethnic
influences of the early Rockford settlers. They had 267,000 visitors
in the year 2000!
Unsurpassed in quality and second only to Chicago as Illinois’
largest, the Rockford Art Museum offers a variety of changing regional
and national exhibits to provide a fresh experience for each visit.
The museum features a permanent collection of 19th and 20th Century
American art, including photography, impressionist paintings and African-American
works.
The
J.R. Kortman Center for Design and the Rockford College Art Gallery
exhibit works by local and regional artists respectively. In addition,
contemporary works are on display in the Rockford area throughout the
year, for example at ArtScene, the annual October gallery walk.
Rockford also offers numerous theaters featuring professional stage
and musical performances, dinner and outdoor theater entertainment,
film festivals, and college productions. Whether you’re in the
mood for a professional drama at the New American Theater, an outdoor
summer music production at the Starlight Theater (at Rock Valley College),
performances by Ebony Community Theater, or a classic film at the Storefront
Cinema, Rockford has it all. Perhaps you’re a true music lover.
If so, be sure to catch the Rockford Symphony Orchestra performing at
the restored Coronado Theatre. Classic, pop and opera performances are
featured each season. Many music groups diversify the scene in Rockford:
Bach Chamber Music, Kantorei Boys’ Choir, Second City Chorus, Mendelssohn
Club and world-class performances by the Community Concert Association.
Dance lovers also enjoy wonderful productions (like the Nutcracker)
performed by the Rockford Dance Company, contemporary dance from Without
Shoes Dance Company, and ethnic companies such as Ngoma.
Rockford Public Library, founded in 1872 with an Andrew Carnegie grant,
serves as a cornerstone of the Rockford community. Together, the Main
Library and its five branches house a collection of over 450,000 books,
magazines, CDs, videos, DVDs, books on tape, computer software and framed
prints. Word processing, Internet access and computer training are available
to the public. A local history and genealogy room, located at the Main
Library, provides research materials about Rockford and Winnebago County
and documents family histories. Hundreds of children’s programs,
hosted by the library annually, include story times and a “Summer
Reading Club.”
The Rockford area provides endless possibilities for indoor and outdoor
fun. The Carlson Ice Arena and the Riverview Ice House offer public
ice skating, hockey, ice shows and skating lessons. Looking for more
family fun? Try one of Rockford’s bowling centers featuring Brunswick
scoring and over 30 lanes each. If it’s outdoor fun you’re
craving, Rockford has that too. Visit the Rockford Speedway, which hosts
weekly NASCAR racing on its high-banked oval track stretching 1/4 mile,
or Blackhawk Farms Raceway, featuring weekend go-cart, motorcycle and
sports car racing.
Children won’t want to miss the nation’s second largest public
water park — Magic Waters — with tube and body slides, wave
pool, Splash Magic Island, sand volleyball, and Splash Blaster water
coaster ride. After drying off, visit Cherry Valley Golf and Games for
a friendly round of miniature golf, or check out the bumper boats, arcade
and batting cages. Whether it’s indoor or outdoor fun you’re
searching for - Rockford has it!
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