Joliet Area Historical Museum
Joliet Area Historical Museum
4.5
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
The Joliet Area Historical Museum is a historical museum located in Joliet, Illinois. The museum documents the history of Joliet and surrounding Will County.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
124 reviews
Excellent
63
Very good
49
Average
10
Poor
2
Terrible
0
Taylor B
Chicago, IL8,498 contributions
Sept 2020
The Joliet Area Historical Museum is worth visiting even if you never saw the Blues Brothers' movie or never drove on Route 66. Located at 204 Ottawa Street in Joliet, Illinois, Chicago's largest southwest suburb, it was established in 1977 and documents the history of Joliet and surrounding Will County. As an aside, there is a gift shop stuffed with Route 66 memorabilia and an opportunity to visit the nearby Collins Street Prison, another Blue Brothers trademark. I once spent a day at the prison. I was a batboy for an amateur baseball team that played against the prison team. But the museum isn't about the prison. It is about the history of the Joliet area, which dates to the 1600s. It has its own history, too. The building was formerly occupied by the Ottawa Street Methodist Church, which was designed by Joliet architect G. Julian Barnes and built in 1909. Located on one of the alternate paths of historic Route 66, the museum's ground floor features the Route 66 Welcome Center, which offers a display called the Route 66 Experience, highlighting the famous road that once connected Chicago through the southwest to California. There also is a dining room open to the public and staffed by Joliet Junior College's hospitality and culinary school students. Perhaps the most intriguing exhibit focuses on Joliet-raised and Joliet Junior College graduate John C. Houbolt, a NASA engineer honored as the chief conceptualizer of the lunar orbit rendezvous segment of the U.S. Apollo program and the use of a lunar module to shuttle astronauts to and from the surface of the Moon. The Joliet Area Historical Museum is proof that there are interesting museums this side of Chicago's Field Museum and the Museum of Science and Industry.
Written 25 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Daniel M
Shorewood, IL39 contributions
Aug 2022
Beautiful and interesting Museum with a special exhibit room that contains additional special historical artifacts. The exhibit room changes the topics regularly so there is always something new being presented. One of the most unique features about this museum is the fact that they present live performances frequently. The live performances include live music on the rooftop (which is awesome on a weekend night in the summer or fall) and live music in the indoor auditorium. They also present historical talks on architecture, archeology, local culture, etc. AND, this is a very popular Route 66 stepping off point for international tourists - they have some cool stories about some of the famous visitors to the museum. The staff is really nice, don't hesitate to ask questions or ask for a volunteer tour guide.
Written 29 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Paula M
Sugarloaf, CA144 contributions
Sept 2022 • Friends
While traveling through Illinois we accidentally stumbled upon this museum in downtown Joliet. An old church was converted and now contains a history of the city along with residents who are not only part of Joliet but have a place in American history. The original church’s stain glass windows are still in place. Since Joliet is a melting pot of ethnicity the films and exhibits reflect this. Exhibits were up to date, clean, informative, and many are interactive. The gift store was filled with items relating to the city; books, T-shirts, cups, all the usual stuff including books not only about the city of Joliet, but the old Joliet prison and Route 66. There’s even a selection of books on black history for the area which I hadn’t seen in many gift stores. The entry fee is very reasonable. A visit there is well worth your time.
Written 1 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
FellowTraveler730578
206 contributions
Jun 2024 • Solo
Totally fun bit of local history. From the building of the I and M Canal, prison life, the economy, to the Blues Brothers and a bit in Route 66, this was a very enjoyable museum. There is also a large display about a local NASA engineer to was instrumental in the 1969 moon landing. Definitely worth a visit if you're in Joliet.
Written 22 June 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bobbi58
Lancaster, OH767 contributions
Jul 2023 • Couples
Great Location and interesting, well organized and very enlightening!
Greeted at the Admission Desk by Staff Susan and Curt, who were so friendly and proud of both their City and Museum! So well deserved, because the Experience is one of the best ever! A Perfect way to start our Summer Road Trip!
Greeted at the Admission Desk by Staff Susan and Curt, who were so friendly and proud of both their City and Museum! So well deserved, because the Experience is one of the best ever! A Perfect way to start our Summer Road Trip!
Written 5 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lou D
Valparaiso, IN390 contributions
Mar 2022 • Friends
A world-class museum in every way! Joliet and Chicagoland are lucky to have this as a nearby resource.
I traveled from Indiana and included a prison-tour and a visit to the Old Joliet Iron Works. All 3 were very well curated and enjoyable. Visit all three if you can.
I traveled from Indiana and included a prison-tour and a visit to the Old Joliet Iron Works. All 3 were very well curated and enjoyable. Visit all three if you can.
Written 27 March 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stuieod
Dubai, United Arab Emirates14 contributions
Aug 2013
Travelled Route 66 in August 2013- stopped here and found all staff very helpful and proud of what they do.
Lovely gift shop, and information centre. Unfortunately didn't have time to go through museum but will make sure we stop next time on the route.
Lovely gift shop, and information centre. Unfortunately didn't have time to go through museum but will make sure we stop next time on the route.
Written 21 September 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
cooley25
Joliet, IL348 contributions
Dec 2012 • Solo
This museum shows you the open room of the famous historic Route 66. You can view some tv recordings on small sets, have a drink and sit in some old cars restored for this museum. It doesn't take very long, but is colorful and timely. Then you can visit the much more extensive Joliet area museum, full of history and visuals. Nice gift shop and amenities. Friendly staff.
Written 25 November 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sean W
Traverse City, MI13 contributions
Jul 2014 • Family
I was only in Joliet for a day as a side-trip from Chicago. This museum is the best place to learn about the history of Joliet and Route 66. It's a great museum and it has a great low price. This is a must see attraction in Joliet.
Written 4 August 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
travelbug263
Lancaster, PA57 contributions
Jul 2014
I loved going to this museum. Great slice of history, and while the ideas are centered around Joliet, much of information stretches beyond the town. We went on Saturday afternoon at about 3:00 and we were the only people there. Free to explore at my own pace, which is something I really like at museums. The exhibits are very well-done. I was impressed by the historical photos and memorabilia. This museum is a quality one. Everything is very clean, well-kept, and almost new. You can go through it in under two hours so a visit can be part of your day (rather than a whole day), which was also very nice. And free parking is right across the street! It's a little gem of a museum for sure!
Written 9 July 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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