The Peoria Riverfront Museum opened in 2012 on the Illinois riverfront and combines art, science, and local history under one roof — an unusual combination that works better than it might sound. The building anchors the revitalized riverfront district and includes a permanent collection of American art, science exhibits, a planetarium, and a giant-screen theater. It is one of the better regional museums in central Illinois and worth a couple of hours.
The local history galleries cover Peoria's role as a manufacturing hub, its whiskey distilling past (it was once the whiskey capital of America, producing more barley malt whiskey than any other city in the world in the late 19th century), and the Caterpillar story. The planetarium shows are accessible to all ages. The building's position on the riverfront gives it good views across the Illinois River.