Information
Landmark: Caterpillar Visitors CenterCity: Peoria
Country: USA Illinois
Continent: North America
Caterpillar Visitors Center, Peoria, USA Illinois, North America
Overview
The Caterpillar Visitors Center, located at 110 S. W. Washington Street in Peoria, Illinois, spans about 50,000 square feet-roughly the size of a football field.The Caterpillar Visitors Center exists to bring Caterpillar Inc.’s story to life-its rich history, bold innovations, and worldwide impact as a leader in heavy machinery, from roaring yellow excavators to massive mining trucks.It pulls you into an educational experience that sparks curiosity and shares the story of the company’s cutting‑edge tech, precise engineering, and steady drive toward sustainability-picture sleek machines humming quietly as you learn.Number two.We’re open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the last ticket sold at 3:30.The doors stay shut on Sundays and major holidays like New Year’s Day, Independence Day with its crackling fireworks, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.Number three.Admission & Tickets: Adults pay $7, while seniors 55+, veterans, and active military get in for $6.Up to four kids age 12 or under are free with each paid adult.Groups of 25 or more pay $6 per person.Caterpillar employees and retirees enjoy free entry with a valid ID.Buy your tickets at the door or reserve them online-it’s quick and easy.Number four.In the Heritage Gallery, you’ll find a rich display of Caterpillar’s roots, charting its journey from a small 1900s workshop to the massive global brand it is today, with early rust-speckled tools sitting beside sleek modern machinery.You’ll find vintage machinery with worn metal parts, faded photographs from decades past, and artifacts that mark the key turning points in Caterpillar’s story.At the Immersive Visualization Center, cutting-edge 3D tech lets visitors step inside Caterpillar’s design process and see how its massive yellow machines come to life.Guests can tap through interactive screens to examine shiny metal parts, try their hand at assembling them, and see how new products come to life.Future Theater offers cutting-edge short films and multimedia shows that bring Caterpillar’s vision for tomorrow’s construction, mining, energy, and sustainability to life-imagine steel beams rising in the glow of a digital sunrise.It shows how technology and fresh ideas drive the creation of equipment that’s smarter, safer, and more efficient-like tools that respond instantly to a touch.Antique Tractor Walk showcases a lineup of rare, historically important Caterpillar tractors and equipment, whether indoors or under the open sky, their worn metal gleaming in the light.Over the decades, this exhibit traces the company’s mechanical breakthroughs and shifting designs, from the clang of early steel gears to the sleek curves of modern machines.Visitors can climb into hands-on simulators and try their hand at running Caterpillar machines-feeling the bucket of an excavator swing or a loader’s wheels rumble beneath them.These simulators let you feel what it’s like to handle massive machinery, giving you a glimpse into the skills and tech operators rely on across the globe.Visitors can climb into a full-size track-type tractor, run their hands over the cold metal controls, and explore every corner of it.You can run your hands over levers, knobs, and massive panels in this interactive exhibit, getting a feel for the size, controls, and design of Caterpillar’s legendary machines.Five.The Caterpillar Merchandise Center, the on-site gift shop, carries everything from rugged hats and jackets to sturdy boots, shiny die-cast machine models, and shelves of books on heavy equipment and company history.Visitors often stop in to grab a one-of-a-kind souvenir or gift before they leave.Number six.You can park for free in the Water Street garage just a short walk from the Visitors Center, making it easy to get there without circling the block.The facility is fully accessible for guests with disabilities, with smooth ramps, reliable elevators, and thoughtful accommodations at every turn.Guided tours are offered by appointment for groups and special events, with friendly staff ready to share detailed insights-like pointing out the faded carvings on a century-old doorway.Food and Beverage: There’s no dining on-site, but downtown Peoria is just a short walk away, with plenty of cafés and restaurants-think hot coffee and fresh pastries a block from your door.Seven.At the Caterpillar Visitors Center, staff often team up with schools, neighborhood groups, and local organizations to bring STEM-science, technology, engineering, and math-to life, sometimes with hands-on activities like building simple machines.The programs range from hands-on engineering workshops to youth-oriented tours and events, plus special exhibits that spotlight sustainability and cutting-edge innovation in heavy equipment manufacturing-like the gleam of a newly forged steel arm ready for testing.You can find the Caterpillar Visitors Center at 110 S. W. Washington Street in Peoria, Illinois, with questions welcomed at (309) 675‑0606.Step inside and you’ll explore hands-on exhibits, hear the rumble of massive engines, and discover how Caterpillar’s long history meets its latest breakthroughs in heavy machinery.Visitors can dive into the company’s breakthroughs, grip the controls in hands-on simulators, study weathered machines from decades past, and glimpse what’s ahead for construction and mining.It’s a great spot for families, students, and engineering buffs-anyone curious about industrial history or eager to see innovation in action, like the hum of a restored steam engine.
