Wheels O' Time Museum in Dunlap, Illinois

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Dunlap, Illinois · Updated October 19, 2026 · 11 min read

Museum with a major rail exhibitOpen May 1 to October 31

Wheels O' Time Museum in Dunlap preserves the machines that moved central Illinois, from antique cars to farm equipment, across six exhibit buildings where visitors are invited to press buttons, listen and handle the past.

  • Six exhibit buildings
  • Hands-on, interactive exhibits
  • Open May 1 to October 31
  • Blacksmithing on select weekends
  • Free school field trips
  • Blue Star Museum

Wheels O' Time Museum at a glance

Hours
May 1 to October 31: Wednesday to Friday and Sunday 12 pm to 5 pm, Saturday 10 am to 5 pm
Admission
Adults $12, seniors 65+ $10, veterans $10, ages 3 through 8th grade $5, under 3 free (2026)
Seasonal events
Blacksmithing weekends, Hand Weavers and Quilters, Gems of the Prairie quilting demos, Chillicothe Story Time, Peoria R/C Modelers
Plan for
About 2 hours
Best for
Families with kids who like to touch and explore
Best ages
Preschool through middle school
Accessibility
Wheelchair users and their assistants receive discounted admission ($6 each).

Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to Wheels O' Time Museum? Bring Rally along.

In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to Dunlap.

Page 1 of 8

Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

Like it so far? See the full book

25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $13.99 with fast shipping from Amazon.

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Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.

A museum that wants you to touch the past

Wheels O' Time sits in Medina Township in Peoria County, with a Dunlap address, and its mission is to preserve the past for the education and enjoyment of future generations. The museum puts it plainly: it does not want guests only to look at history but to experience it. That is why the galleries are full of buttons to press, sounds to hear and objects to pick up.

Over the years the collection has grown into a campus of six buildings: the Main Building, the Firehouse, the Farm Building, the Ford Building, LeTourneau's Steel House and the Generations Building, along with an Industrial Art Courtyard and outdoor displays spread around the grounds. Together they hold vehicles of every kind, from antique and classic cars to farm machinery, plus exhibits on the inventions and stories that shaped central Illinois.

Wheels O' Time is supported by members, donors, volunteers and partners, and it is led by a museum board and staff. Each season it opens its doors to community groups, from weavers and quilters to the Chillicothe library, whose story times bring young readers right into the galleries.

Six buildings of cars, machines and craft

Plan to move from building to building. The Ford Building is themed around one maker, the Farm Building gathers agricultural machinery, the Firehouse focuses on fire service history, and LeTourneau's Steel House adds a piece of local industrial history. The Generations Building hosts weavers, quilters and other demonstrations on event days, and the Main Building ties it all together with a wide range of historical areas. Outdoors, the Industrial Art Courtyard and other displays fill the spaces between buildings.

Throughout the campus, interactive exhibits let kids and adults push, listen and handle objects instead of just reading labels. On the second and fourth weekend of each month during the season, blacksmiths work at the forge, and special event days bring car displays and craft demonstrations. The museum does not detail its railroad pieces online, so ask staff what rail items are on display when you arrive.

Don’t miss

  1. The Ford BuildingA themed building devoted to Ford vehicles, one of the museum's most focused collections.
  2. LeTourneau's Steel HouseA distinctive steel building on the campus that adds a chapter of local industrial history.
  3. The Farm BuildingFarm equipment that shows how machines changed work on central Illinois farms.
  4. Blacksmithing demonstrationsHeld the second and fourth weekend of each month during the season, they show metalworking the old way.
  5. The Industrial Art CourtyardAn outdoor display area where larger pieces sit among the museum's buildings.

Buttons, story times and a family return pass

Kids are the audience the museum has in mind. Interactive exhibits invite them to push buttons, listen to sounds and pick things up, and the outdoor displays give them room to move between buildings. During the season, the Chillicothe library brings rail-themed story times for young children and caregivers; the last one of the 2026 season is scheduled for October 29 at 11 am.

Teachers can book free 90-minute guided field trips focused on local history, engineering and everyday mechanics, and each student and teacher gets a complimentary return pass to come back with their family. Children under 3 visit free, and children from age 3 through 8th grade pay $5 as of 2026.

Plan your visit: tips for Wheels O' Time Museum

  • Closed Mondays and Tuesdays, and closed for the winter after October 31.
  • Visit on the second or fourth weekend of the month to catch the blacksmiths.
  • A family membership ($60) can pay for itself in two visits for a larger family.
  • Active duty service members and up to five family members get in free through Blue Star.
  • Groups of 20 or more get reduced rates; call ahead to arrange.

Board, staff, volunteers and members

The museum is guided by a board and staff and supported by volunteers, partners, members and donors. Memberships run $25 for an individual, $45 for a member plus one and $60 for a family, and the museum's website has pages for donating and volunteering. It also offers venue rentals, another way the community helps keep the doors open.

Railroad stops near Dunlap

For a dedicated railroad stop, the Rock Island Railroad Museum in Chillicothe's old depot is about 17 miles away. The Galesburg Railroad Museum is about 40 miles west, and the Union Depot Railroad Museum in Mendota about 56 miles. Browse every Illinois train museum to plan more.

Every train museum in Illinois

Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive

Watercolor of Rally the corgi dreaming about his toy turtle, green bone and yellow ball
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

The rail-themed story times here made me smile, because packing for a story is a little like packing for a trip. In our book, Rally fills his suitcase with his turtle toy, his green bone and his yellow ball before he ever sees the train. My kids are learning to read, and they would pack a library book or two. Our coloring pages include Rally's packing scene for a rainy afternoon.

Free for train families

Print the Rally coloring pages before you go

Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.

Get the free coloring pages
Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.

Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

More for train families

Work or volunteer at Wheels O' Time Museum?

We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.

Sources

Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.

Wheels O' Time Museum: 20 questions visitors ask

How much are Wheels O' Time Museum tickets?

As of October 2026, single admission is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors 65 and over, $10 for veterans, $11 with a AAA discount, and $5 for children from age 3 through 8th grade. Children under 3 are free. Wheelchair users, wheelchair assistants and guests with special needs pay $6.

What are the Wheels O' Time Museum hours?

As of October 2026, the museum is open May 1 through October 31. Hours are noon to 5 pm on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday, and 10 am to 5 pm on Saturday. It is closed Mondays and Tuesdays and closed for the off season after October 31, so plan a spring, summer or fall visit.

Where is the Wheels O' Time Museum?

The museum is at 1710 W Woodside Drive, Dunlap, Illinois 61525. It sits in Medina Township in Peoria County, north of Peoria, with a Dunlap mailing address. For directions or questions, call (309) 243-9020 or email info@wheelsotime.org.

Is the Wheels O' Time Museum in Peoria?

It is in the Peoria area but not in the city itself. The museum is in Medina Township, Peoria County, and uses a Dunlap, Illinois address, 1710 W Woodside Drive. Most people searching for a Peoria vehicle museum mean this one, and it makes an easy trip from town.

Where can I see Wheels O' Time Museum photos?

The museum shares photos on its Facebook page, which has more than 5,800 followers, and on Instagram as @wheelsotime. The website, wheelsotime.org, also has pages for each exhibit building and a museum map, which help you see what is there before you go.

What do Wheels O' Time Museum reviews say?

Visitors and family travel sites describe it as a fun day out with vintage cars and interactive exhibits, and the museum calls itself a fun for all ages, seasonal, interactive museum. Its Facebook page lists more than 2,500 check-ins. Read recent reviews on Facebook or travel sites for current impressions.

Who owns the Wheels O' Time Museum?

The museum is led by a museum board and staff and supported by members, donors, volunteers and partners. Its website includes pages for the board and staff, donations and volunteering. For questions about its governance or history, contact the museum at (309) 243-9020 or info@wheelsotime.org.

Is Wheels O' Time Museum indoors or outdoors?

Both. Most of the collection sits inside six buildings, so you can enjoy much of a visit even on a hot or rainy day. There are also outdoor displays in the Industrial Art Courtyard and around the campus, and you walk outdoors between buildings, so dress for the weather.

Is Wheels O' Time the same as Wheels Through Time?

No. Wheels O' Time Museum is in Dunlap, Illinois, near Peoria. Wheels Through Time is a different museum with a similar name, so check its own website for that museum's hours and location. People searching for a wheels of time motorcycle museum may also mean that other museum.

What is at the Wheels O' Time Museum?

The campus has six exhibit buildings: the Main Building, the Firehouse, the Farm Building, the Ford Building, LeTourneau's Steel House and the Generations Building. Inside are vehicles of all kinds, from antique and classic cars to farm equipment, plus interactive exhibits. Outdoor displays fill the Industrial Art Courtyard.

Does the Wheels O' Time Museum have trains?

The museum focuses on vehicles and machines of many kinds and has hosted rail-themed story times with the Chillicothe library, but its website does not detail specific railroad equipment. If trains are the main reason for your visit, call (309) 243-9020 to ask what rail items are on display.

Is Wheels O' Time Museum good for kids?

Yes. The museum is built around hands-on learning, with buttons to press, sounds to hear and objects to pick up across its buildings. Children under 3 are free and kids through 8th grade are $5 as of October 2026. Story times and blacksmithing days add extra activities for families.

When is blacksmithing at the Wheels O' Time Museum?

Blacksmiths demonstrate on the second and fourth weekend of each month during the 2026 season. The final event of the season, on October 24, 2026, also brings hand weavers and the Gems of the Prairie quilters to the Generations Building. Check the events page for next season's dates.

What events does the Wheels O' Time Museum hold?

The museum hosts events for all ages through the season, including story times for children, community celebrations, craft demonstrations by weavers and quilters, blacksmithing, Peoria R/C Modelers appearances and special car displays, including one featuring Batman. The upcoming events page at wheelsotime.org has dates.

Does the Wheels O' Time Museum offer school field trips?

Yes. The museum offers free 90-minute guided student tours focused on local history, engineering, innovation and mechanics, with free admission for students and teachers and a complimentary family return pass for each. For 2026, tours were booked from May 1 to October 1. Contact diana@wheelsotime.org or call (309) 243-9020.

Does Wheels O' Time Museum have group rates?

Yes, for groups of 20 or more. As of October 2026, group rates are $10 per adult, $4 per child and $10 per child group chaperone. Call (309) 243-9020 or email info@wheelsotime.org to arrange your visit and confirm details before you arrive.

Is the Wheels O' Time Museum wheelchair accessible?

The museum welcomes wheelchair users and offers reduced admission of $6 for both the wheelchair user and an assistant as of October 2026. Exhibits are spread across six buildings and outdoor areas, so call (309) 243-9020 to ask about paths and entrances before your visit.

Does the Wheels O' Time Museum offer memberships?

Yes. As of October 2026, memberships cost $25 for an individual, $45 for a member plus one and $60 for a family. Memberships support the museum's preservation work, and the website also has pages for donations, volunteering and venue rentals for private events.

Is Wheels O' Time Museum free for military families?

Yes. Wheels O' Time is a Blue Star Museum, offering free admission to active duty service members with up to five family members. Veterans receive a discounted adult ticket of $10 as of October 2026. Bring identification to the admission desk.

What train museums are near the Wheels O' Time Museum?

The Rock Island Railroad Museum in Chillicothe is about 17 miles away, the Galesburg Railroad Museum about 40 miles, and the Union Depot Railroad Museum in Mendota about 56 miles. The Amboy Depot Museum is about 63 miles away and the Monticello Railway Museum about 78 miles.

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