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2020

Located near I-90 on

Rockford’s east side on Guilford Rd.

between Mulford & Perryville Rds.

Use the E. State St. Bus. 20 Exit.

The Village Part of the 148-acre museum campus, the Village includes 26 structures and 10 heritage gardens representing a rural community during the era of 1890-1910. From May through August interpreters in Victorian clothing lead tours exploring the life and culture of the period.

History Education Programs Check our website for unique, school and family hands-on programs interpreting the rich history of Rockford and the northern Illinois region.

Summer Day Camp Summer adventures for youth start here at your history museum! Campers explore the mysteries of history in our one-of-a-kind Village. Registration and information are available online starting in March.

Heritage Gardens 10 enchanting gardens envelop you in the rich history of Victorian horticulture. Private garden tours uncover the mysteries of 19th century garden design and the legacy of heirloom planting.

Membership Support the museum while receiving many benefits including unlimited free admission to the museum and village, free or reduced admission to special events, participation in the Time Traveler program, free electronic newsletter, reduced cost for children’s programs, a 10% Museum Store discount, and Community Partners coupons. For a list of benefits visit www.midwayvillage.com or call for a Membership brochure.

Volunteering Work alongside the professional staff in Exhibits, Textiles, Collections, Gardens, Administration, Education, and Special Events. Volunteer ing is a great opportunity to utilize and broaden your skills, meet others who share the same interests, and have fun!

Rentals Offering a variety of venues that can accommodate private group events like:

• Baby Shower • Class Reunion• Wedding Reception • Birthday Party• Wedding Ceremony • Family Reunion• Bridal Shower • Company Picnic• Rehearsal Dinner • Business Meeting/Retreat • Holiday Parties • Funeral/Memorial Luncheons

About Us

Queen City of the Prairies: Only 20 years after its founding Rockford became an important regional center of government, industry, and commerce. Visit the John Thurston interactive exhibit to learn more about life in 1840s Rockford.

The Girls of Summer: Meet the Rockford Peaches and learn about these ladies who played hardball in the 1940s-50s.

The Missing Link: Socks, Monkeys and Rockford’s Industrial Past: Monkey around with red heel socks and view Nelson knitting machines. Find the sock monkey that helped win Rockford the title of “Home of the Sock Monkey.”

Flight Gallery: Learn about local aviators like Bessica Raiche, and see Col. Bert Hassell’s 1928 SMI Stinson-Detroiter Airplane. Then fly our flight similator.

Industrial Gallery: Rockford’s industrial geniuses created innovative products that impacted the local and worldwide economy. View all they created, including a dynamic exhibit on Bergstrom Inc.

Adjacent to the Museum Center be sure to see:

Old Doll’s House Museum: Outside the Museum Center, the Old Doll’s House Museum has 30 miniature homes representing different countries.

The Millhouse: Tour an 1860s recreated mill with a functioning waterwheel located on Lake Severin. By appointment only.

Museum ExhibitsOpen Year Round

6799 Guilford Road • Rockford, Illinois 61107(815) 397-9112 (815) 397-9156 fax

www.midwayvillage.com

Booking a Group TourThe Museum offers tours and programs appropriate for

schools, scouts, churches, garden or social clubs. To book a group tour at the Museum or to request a

speaker who can come to you, visit midwayvillagetours.com. Detailed program descriptions can be found at

midwayvillage.com under the tab “Learn.”

Hours & AdmissionMuseum Center, Mill House,

Old Doll’s House and Museum Store:Jan. – April / Sept. – Dec.Tues – Fri: 10 am – 4 pm

Sat: 10:30 am – 4 pm • Closed: Sun & Mon

May – AugustTues – Fri: 10 am – 4 pm

Sat & Sun: 10:30 am – 4 pm • Closed: Mon

Village Hours:Thur – Sun: 11 am – 4 pm (May 6-31)

Tues – Sun: 11 am – 4 pm (June thru August)Last Village tour starts at 3 pm • Closed: Mon

Village open by appointment only September thru April

Admission:Adults: $7 Children 3 to 17: $5 Children 0 to 2: Free

Museum Members are free!

Supported in part by theRockford Park District

Midway Village Museum, the best institution for collecting, preserving and interpreting the history of the Rockford region,

is committed to educating and enriching our community by providing state-of-the-art exhibits, programs and events.

Mission

Inside the Museum Center visitors can engage and explore history through interactive exhibits in the more than 20,000 square feet of gallery spaces.

2 0 1 7 C A L E N D A R O F E V E N T S

WWW.MIDWAYVILLAGE.COM

OPEN YEAR ROUND

INTERACTIVE EXHIBITS

Connect with us

Many Faces, One CommunityThis touch-friendly exhibit features stories of Rockford’s immigrants. Arrive through the train depot, stroll along 7th and South Main Streets, visit an immigrant home, and apply for a job at the Swedish furniture factory in this immersive experience. New in 2017 For a limited

engagement –July 1 - December 1 “Lovers of Peace: Rockford’s Ohave Sholom Temple.”

Check www.midwayvillage.com regularly for updates.

Winter

Spring

Summer

Fall

Experience History, Culture and Signature Events

Experience Date Time TypeSpectacular Saturday-Japan Jan. 21 10:30am-12pm Family Program Impact of World War I (AR) Jan. 21 10am-2:30pm SymposiumCub Scout Event Day (AR) Jan. 28 9:30am-3:30pm Scout EventRockford History 101 Jan. 29 2pm LectureGirl Scout Event Day (AR) Feb. 11 9:30am-3:30pm Scout EventHistory of St. Valentine’s Day Feb. 12 2pm LectureSpectacular Saturday-Switzerland Feb. 18 10:30am-12pm Family ProgramPresidents and Patriots Family Event Feb. 20 10am-3pm Special EventHistory of Patriotism Feb. 20 2pm LectureThe Past, Present and Future Feb. 26 2pm Forum of Housing in RockfordSock Monkey Madness Festival Mar. 4 & 5 10am-4pm Special EventRockford During Prohibition Mar. 12 2pm LectureRockford’s Cultural Heritage Celebration Mar. 18 10am-4pm Special EventSpectacular Saturday-Morocco Mar. 18 10:30am-12pm Family Program Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On: Mar. 19 2pm Lecture Music of the 1950sEgg Artistry Show and Sale Mar. 25 & 26 10am-4pm Special Event

Experience Date Time TypeThe Great War-WWI School Day (AR) Apr. 7 9:30am-2pm School EventThe Great War-World War I Apr. 8 & 9 10am-5pm Sat. Special Event 10am-4pm Sun. Special EventSpectacular Saturday-Egypt Apr. 15 10:30am-12pm Family Program Minks to Sinks Sale Apr. 20-22 5-7pm Thur. Fundraiser 8am-4pm Fri. 9am-12pm Sat.Member Event (AR preferred) Apr. 26 4-7pm Member EventCivil War History School Day Event (AR) May 2-5 9:30am-2pm School EventVictorian Village Opens for Tours May 6 11am-4pm Seasonal ToursTipsy History: Wine Making (AR) May 10 6:30-8:30pm Special EventSpectacular Saturday-Chile May 13 10:30am-12 pm Family Program Main Street Market May 20 9am-4pm Special Event

Experience Date Time TypeSummer Victorian Tea (AR) Jun. 4 2-4pm Special EventHistory Explorers Event: Village Intrigue Jun. 10 10am-3pm Special EventSpectacular Saturday-Australia Jun. 17 10:30am-12pm Family ProgramHistory’s Mysteries: It’s Elementary (AR) Jun. 19-23 Times Vary Youth Summer CampPre-K Adventures: Animal Planet (AR) Jun. 23 10-11am Pre-K CampHistory’s Mysteries: For Everything Jun. 26-30 Times Vary Youth Summer Camp there is a Season (AR)Pre-K Adventures: Digging in the Dirt (AR) Jun. 30 10-11am Pre-K CampHistory Explorers Event: Victorian Amazing Race Jul. 8 10am-3pm Special EventHistory’s Mysteries: Storybook Quests (AR) Jul. 10-14 Times Vary Youth Summer CampThe Rockford Plate: A Culinary Journey Jul. 13 5:30-9pm Fundraiser of Early Rockford Immigrants (AR)Pre-K Adventures: Messy Art (AR) Jul. 14 10-11am Pre-K CampSpectacular Saturday-France Jul. 15 10:30am-12pm Family ProgramHistory’s Mysteries: Dirty Jobs (AR) Jul. 17-21 Times Vary Youth Summer CampHeritage Garden Tours Jul. 20 10am, 2 & 6pm Garden ProgramPre-K Adventures: Pioneer Life (AR) Jul. 21 10-11am Pre-K CampCommunity Picnic: Free Day Jul.23 11am-4pm Special EventHistory’s Mysteries: Weird History (AR) Jul. 24-28 Times Vary Youth Summer CampPre-K Adventures: Around the World (AR) Jul. 28 10-11am Pre-K CampHistory’s Mysteries: Have a Blast Jul. 31-Aug. 4 Times Vary Youth Summer Camp from the Past (AR)Pre-K Adventures: Five Senses (AR) Aug. 4 10-11am Pre-K CampHistory’s Mysteries: Wagon Aug. 7-11 Times Vary Youth Summer Camp Train Adventure (AR) Pre-K Adventures: Water World (AR) Aug. 11 10-11am Pre-K CampMagical Gardens Family Event Aug. 12 10am-3pm Special EventSpectacular Saturday-Turkey Aug. 19 10:30am-12pm Family Program

Experience Date Time TypeMidway Hits the Fairways (AR) Sept. 8 11am FundraiserMain Street Market Sept. 9 9am-4pm Special EventSpectacular Saturday-Portugal Sept. 16 10:30am-12pm Family ProgramWorld War II School Day Event (AR) Sept. 22 9:30am-2pm School EventBehind the Lines with General Patton (AR) Sept. 22 5-8pm Special EventWorld War II Days Sept. 23-24 10am-5pm Sat. Special Event 10am-4pm Sun.Scarecrow Harvest Festival Oct. 7 10am-4pm Special EventTipsy History: Early Beer Oct. 11 6-8pm Special Event Brewing in Rockford (AR)Spectacular Saturday-Mongolia Oct. 14 10:30am-12pm Family ProgramAll Hallows’ Eve Oct. 21 2-8pm Special EventTrick or Trot Run/Walk Oct. 22 8:30am FundraiserAll Aboard! Model Train Show Nov. 4 10am-4pm Special EventEvening of Illumination (AR) Nov. 4 6-8:30pm Special EventSpectacular Saturday-Thailand Nov. 18 10:30am-12pm Family program Hometown Heroes: Rockford’s Nov. 18 1pm Special Event Vietnam VeteransVictorian Holiday Tea (AR) Dec. 2 2-4pm Special EventChristmas in the Trenches (AR) Dec. 9 10am-11:30am Special EventVictorian Holiday Celebration Dec. 9-10 11am-4pm Special Event Spectacular Saturday-Iran Dec. 16 10:30am-12pm Family Program

* Attend the Sock Monkey festival celebrating Rockford, the home of the Sock Monkey! This year’s theme will feature sock monkeys in Candyland, with games, crafts, vendors, food, and the sock monkey making workshop!

** Enjoy ethnic food, music, dancing, displays, crafts, and a special immersive experience in the Many Faces, One Community exhibit!

* Join us for Midway Village Museum’s Gala Event! This is a one-of-a-kind event featuring a roaring 1920s theme featuring ethnic fine dining, theatrical performances, live bands, dancing and more!

* The 5th annual World War I living history event will feature over 225 reenactors portraying soldiers from the US and Europe. Visitors can visit encampments, tour the reproduction 150-year trench system, see a Suffragette March, hear lectures, view the Trench Train, hear musical performances, shop the sales vendor area, and watch town skirmishes and large-scale battles on the battlefield.

** Tipsy History begins by exploring early home wine making in the 1800s with a live demonstration in the historic village. Then guests will discover the beginnings of wine making on a large scale by exploring the history of a local winery complete with wine samples.

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* The largest World War II event in the Midwest brings together over 1,300 reenactors and over 60 vehicles for this one of a kind event. Tour encampments, see skirmishes and large-scale battles, hear lectures and musical performances, and enjoy several new activities.

(AR)=Advanced Registration Required