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Welcome to The Illinois Club Tours Page!

Pat Cardenas and Lynn Kelly
tours@theillinoisclub.org

Next Tour(s)

Future Tours, To Be Announced

Watch for details in upcoming TIC communications...

... and/or, tell us (via email) where you would like to go: tours@theillinoisclub.org

Past Tour(s)

Fall Tour: The Net-Zero Energy Electrical and Computer Engineering Building

306 N Wright Street, Urbana (map)
Tuesday, November 28, 2023; 5:15pm
  • The tour is free
  • To continue the conversation and socialize, an optional light dinner provided by the Daily Byte Café is available for $10.
  • Please make your reservation by sending email to tours@theillinoisclub.org
  • Deadline to register is November 17, 2023; registration is limited to 25 people

Join us for a tour of the Solar Powered UIUC Electrical and Computer Engineering Building (ECEB), led by UI Professor Emeritus Philip Krein. This LEED Platinum Certified (2019) and Zero Energy Certified (2023) building is a living laboratory which allows students and faculty members to use, research, and teach about these sustainable features and more.

Cost: The tour is free. To continue the conversation and socialize, an optional light dinner provided by the Daily Byte Café is available for $10.
Where: 306 N. Wright St., Urbana. Meet inside the atrium on the east side of the building.
Parking: Free parking is available in parking garage B4 at the SE corner of University and Matthews. (map)

To register, please send email to tours@theillinoisclub.org and include your cell phone number, and whether you want the optional dinner ($10); payment information (for dinner) will be provided after you have registered.

Ruhter Bison Tour

1133 N Couny Road 2050 E
Villa Grove, IL 61956
Wednesday, May 17, 2023; 10:30am - 11:30 am
Cost: $5.00

Registration deadline: May 12
Tour consists of a short informational talk about Bison and their part in restoring the prairie ecosystem. Get an up close view of Bison and their calves.

Recommend older shoes.

Carpoolers will meet at the Urbana Walmart at 9:45 AM.

Optional lunch at Flesor's Candy Kitchen in Tuscola following the tour.

RSVP by May 12 to tours@theillinoisclub.org

Tour: University of Illinois Waste Transfer Station

Tuesday, April 4, 2023; 10:00am - 11:30 am

Registration deadline: Friday March 31
Required visitor attire: Closed toe shoes; wear clothes that can get dirty.

The Waste Transfer Station, or Materials Recovery Facility, is a unique feature of the University of Illinois. On average, waste management sees about 50,000 pounds of landfill-bound waste come through each day. Learn how the university recycles several million pounds of material (paper, cardboard, aluminum, plastic, vehicle tires, scrap metal) each year.

RSVP by March 31 to tours@theillinoisclub.org

Historic Danville Tour


Wednesday, March 15, 2023; 9:30 AM - 2:30 PM
Registration Deadline: March 8, 2023

Our morning takes us to the Vermilion County Museum and adjacent Fithian House, a Lincoln Site on the National Registry of Historic Places. Then, we will tour the Lamon House, an 1850 Greek revival cottage, believed to be the oldest frame house in the Danville area.

Optional lunch is at Charlotte's Coffee & Tea after the tour(s).

Cost: $10 cash for Museum and House tours. Lunch on your own.

RSVP by March 8 via tours@theillinoisclub.org. Please indicate if you are interested in lunch. Carpooling information will be sent prior to the tour.

Tour: McKechnie Family LIFE Home

Monday, December 12 and Wednesday, December 14, 2022
11:00am - 12 noon


75 Bailey Drive, Champaign (map)
Registration is limited to 12 people each day.
Join us for a tour of the McKechnie Family LIFE Home, a cutting-edge research center focused on innovations in home environments. Research and development efforts focus on a range of topics related to in-home activities to improve quality of life and independence for people of all ages and abilities.

The tour will be followed by an optional (pay your own) lunch at Houlihan's located in the I Hotel, 1902 S. 1st Street, Champaign.

Please RSVP to tours@theillinoisclub.org by Friday, December 9 to reserve your spot. Please indicate if you are interested in lunch.

Tour: Museum of the Grand Prairie

Monday, October 3, 2022; 10:00am - 11:30 am
  • Indoor and outdoor walking tour.
  • Tour is limited to the first 25 to sign up.
  • Please make your reservation by emailing Pat at tours@theillinoisclub.org
  • Last day to register is September 29, 2022

Masks are currently required indoors; museum is ADA compliant. As the museum doesn't open to the public until 1pm, we will be the only ones in the building. After the garden tour participants will be able to return to the museum to further view exhibits.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to Pat Cardenas and Lynn Kelly at tours@theillinoisclub.org for more information or any questions you may have.

Tour: The Geology of Building Materials Used on Campus

Saturday, Mach 26, 2022; 10:00am - 12 noon
walking from: Krannert Center for the Performing Arts
Led by Steve Marshak, this campus walking tour is free, but limited to the first 25 to sign up.

Please make your reservation by emailing Pat at tours@theillinoisclub.org

Last day to register is March 23, 2022.

Meeting location: Krannert Center for the Performing Arts. Free parking available in underground parking lot.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to Pat Cardenas and Lynn Kelly at tours@theillinoisclub.org for more information or any questions you may have.

2021 Holiday Party

Join your Illinois Club friends for our Holiday Party
and tour the Siebel Center for Design!

Siebel Center for Design
1208 S. 4th Street, Champaign (map)

Thursday December 9, 2021; 5:00pm - 7:00pm

Come for the party; stay for the Tour!


NEW!!! Fall Tour of the Illinois Fire Service Institute
University of Illinois Fire Service Institute
11 Gerty Drive, Champaign (map)

Thursday, November 4: 1:00-3:30 PM

Limit of 50. RSVP by Monday, November 1 to reservations@theillinoisclub.org. Masks must be worn for all indoor portions of the tour.

Have you ever wondered what all those burned-out buildings are as you drive down Windsor Road near Neil Street? Now is your opportunity to see them up close! Our Fire Service Institute tour will include a 30 minute presentation and questions period on the science of fire and how dangerous it can be. We will then do a walking tour of the grounds, see the different areas used for training, and observe classes in action. Classes being conducted will include live fire, industrial training, and a couple of other groups on site doing some specialized training. You don't want to miss this amazing opportunity!

Parking will be limited due to the number of classes, as well as interest in this tour, so we will probably have to do some carpooling. Please volunteer in your RSVP:
  • if you are willing to be a driver
  • how many people you are willing to have in your car
  • if you prefer to catch a ride with someone
In addition to the spaces at the Institute, which are free, there are a few metered spaces in the Water Survey parking lot next door, so bring along change, just in case.

If you drive, please make sure you park in the visitor portion of the FSI parking lot, and not the student or staff areas. It is the first section of the lot. Thank you!

More information will be shared on Monday, November 1 regarding transportation options. If you need to cancel, please let us know ASAP so we can let someone on the waiting list know they can come.

Spring 2021 Tour - University of Illinois Research Park
Via Zoom
Saturday, April 10, 2021; 11:00 AM

Join us for a virtual tour of the University of Illinois Research Park. Jenny Kim, Assistant Director for Talent, will be our guide as we view drone footage and photos of the buildings and various office spaces. Come learn about what the Research Park is and the exciting innovations that are being developed by the startups and corporations located there.

The tour will last about 30 minutes. Hang around afterwards for questions and socializing. The Zoom link will be sent next week.

Tour of the University Library Oak Street facility and the John Velde Library Conservation Laboratory
809 S. Oak Street, Champaign (map)
Friday, November 22, 2019; 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM, followed by an optional, pay on your own, lunch at Baxter's American Grill.
Registration deadline: Tuesday, November 19. Please indicate if you might be interested in lunch.

Join us for a FREE, behind-the-scenes guided tour of the University Library high-density storage unit, which primarily houses items with low circulation history. As of 2017, more than four million items have been transferred to Oak Street. Afterwards, we will tour the John Velde Library Conservation Laboratory. This unit performs a variety of repairs on both circulating and non-circulating collections.

For more information or to register, send an email to tours@theillinoisclub.org.

Tour of the Richmond Family Welcome Gallery
Located in Alice Campbell Alumni Center, 601 S. Lincoln Avenue, Urbana (map)
Tuesday, October 29, 2019, 5:15pm - 6:30pm
Cost: Free
Registration open October 12 - 24

Parking is free after 5 PM in Lot D22 at the corner of Lincoln Ave. and Oregon St.
and in Lot D9 at Lincoln Ave. and Illinois St.

The Richmond Family Welcome Gallery at the Alice Campbell Alumni Center is a showcase for the heritage and global impact of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Featuring interactive exhibits about the past, present, and future of the University, the Welcome Gallery serves as a destination for returning alumni and other campus visitors and a gateway through which prospective students and their families can begin their Illinois experience.

Join Welcome Gallery curator Ryan Ross for a guided tour through University history! Time machine optional.

The actual tour will be about an hour, which leaves you a little time to explore on your own before the Alumni Center closes for the day. Some of you may be interested in getting together afterward at Krannert Center's Stage 5 bar area or at the Intermezzo café. Nothing formal will be organized as you likely will be departing the Welcome Gallery at different times.

Discover Clinton - deadline to register extended
Friday, October 11, 2019; 9:30am - 4:30pm
Cost: $5.00 for the C.H. Moore Homestead & $7.00 for the Timberview Alpaca Farm
(payment to be collected with we meet to carpool)
Deadline to register is October 7, or when the registration limit of 23 is reached

Join us for a fun day! The C.H. Moore Homestead is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This restored mansion and grounds takes visitors back to the Victorian era. Once home to Clinton attorney Clifton H. Moore, visitors will enjoy tours and stories of the friend and law partner of Abraham Lincoln who one resided there. Home of the DeWitt County Museum.

Lunch will be at the LaTeaDa Tea Room in Clinton. Pay on your own.

The Timberview Alpaca Farm, established in 2010, is a small family-run farm. Learn about alpacas, pet and feed them, view a felting demo, visit the farm store.

This tour is not suitable for anyone with mobility issues. There is no elevator to the upper or lower levels of the Homestead mansion.

Tour the U of I Wildlife Medical Clinic
1008 Hazelwood Drive, Urbana (map).
Monday, April 22, 2019; 10:30 AM
Cost: donation of $10, collected at the Clinic
Limited to 15 people due to space and animal welfare
Sign up Deadline: April 8

Experience a special "behind-the-scenes" tour with a veterinary student and staff veterinarian. See new clinic facilities and meet some of the resident animals. The Clinic is a non-profit organization housed at The College of Veterinary Medicine. Its mission is to provide care and treatment to sick, injured and orphaned wild animals, offer hands-on training to veterinary students, and educate members of the community about coexisting with native Illinois wildlife.

For more information or to sign up contact Pat at tours@theillinoisclub.org

National Museum of Ship Models and Sea History
in Sadorus, IL
(map).
Friday, April 5, 2019; approximately 9 AM - 2 PM
      Carpool from Schnuck's in Savoy: 9:15am
      Lunch at Biaggi's: approximately 12:15pm
Cost: $5 per person cash, collected at the museum; lunch on your own
Maximum: 18 people
Registration Deadline: March 20

Tour this amazing museum only 17 miles from Champaign with the owner. A private non-profit, the museum is dedicated to the critical role that ships have played in the course of history and the development of the modern world. The museum is home to dozens of maritime exhibits and more that 250 intricately crafted models from around the world and all periods of history. (News-Gazette story, with photos)

Holiday Homes Tour
Decatur

Tuesday, December 4, 2018; approximately 9:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Cost: $7 per person cash, collected when we meet to carpool
Registration Deadline: November 13
A guided tour of two historic homes decorated for the holidays, the Governor Richard J. Oglesby Mansion and the James Milliken Homestead. Homes will be toured in the morning and afternoon, with lunch on your own. Both homes are close to the Decatur historic district. Meet to carpool at the Schnucks Champaign location, west end of parking lot (map).

The Illinois Club Excursion and Seminar
Farming in Central Illinois Today: Promise and Challenges

(event info)
Friday, October 26, 2018, 8:30 AM - 3:00 PM
Registration Deadline: Wednesday, October 17, 2018
WHAT: A guided tour of a modern farm close to Champaign, and a seminar about major issues facing farming in Central Illinois today, presented by expert speakers from the University and the farming community.

WHERE: Meet at the parking lot of Schnuck's Savoy (map), car-pool to Rund's Farm in Pesotum, return to the auditorium of the Champaign County Farm Bureau in Champaign for the seminar and box lunch.

COST: $25 per person including box lunch from Michael's , and beverages. Cash, or check payable to "The Illinois Club" when we meet to carpool in the morning.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT: A 2-hour tour of a modern farm, guided by its owner, Eric Rund, and a 3-hour seminar with lectures by 4 well-regarded specialists (two from the University of Illinois, and two farm and fertilizer specialist active in the Champaign County Farm Bureau) that will explore a number of critical questions ranging from the costs and attractiveness of farming today to organic farming in East Central Illinois, the impact of digital technologies on farming, and sustainability and environmental impact. Box lunches, included in cost, will be catered by Michael's. After registration participants will be asked for their preferences of meals. Coffee, tea and water will be available throughout the seminar.

Natural History Building Renovation
Wednesday, February 7, 2018, at 5:15 PM
1301 W. Green Street, Urbana (map)

(Optional) no host dinner at The Bread Company, 706 S. Goodwin, Urbana (map)

Signup Deadline: January 31, 2018
(event info)
Join us for a free(!) tour of the recently finished, completely renovated Natural History Building, one of the earliest and most iconic buildings on campus. We are privileged to have Steve Marshak, director of the School of Earth, Society, and Environment and member of The Illinois Club, lead the tour. Steve can provide us with great insight as he not only worked in the building for 30 years prior to the renovation, but was also chair of the committee of unit heads and faculty who worked closely with the architects and engineers.

Free parking for the tour has generously been provided by Wesley Church and Foundation in their lot behind the church on the SW corner of Green Street and Goodwin. The lot can be entered off Matthews or Goodwin Aves. The Krannert Center garage is a good choice if you join us for the optional, no host dinner at The Bread Company. There also is metered parking on Matthews, but you must pay until 6 pm.

Newcomers - Tour & Social
Champaign County History Museum, Cattle Bank Building, 102 E. University Avenue, Champaign (map)
Riggs Brewery, 1901 S. High Cross Road (Route 130), Urbana (map)
Saturday, January 20
Museum Tour: 3:30 PM
Followed by social at Riggs: 5:00 PM.

Newcomers, please join us for a tour of new exhibits at the Champaign County History Museum followed by social time at one of our local microbreweries. Riggs serves their own beer plus wine and non-alcoholic beverages but no food. Purchase food from a food truck or bring whatever you like to eat or share.

Tour is limited to 30.

Tour of Magic Motors - Free
Allen and Nancy Strong's personal Antique Car and Clothing Museum
Saturday, October 21, 2017 at 10:00 AM
1710 N. Willow Rd., Urbana (map)

(Optional) Salad & Sandwich Lunch to follow at Silvercreek Restaurant, 402 N. Race St., Urbana (map)
Lunch Cost: $19.28 includes beverage, tax and gratuity.
Signup Deadline: October 14, 2017
Join us for a fascinating tour of Magic Motors, Urbana residents Allen and Nancy Strong's personal antique car and clothing museum. See the magnificent roadsters, touring cars, hats, coats, uniforms, and accessories from the first half of the 20th century plus antique furniture, car parts, and American memorabilia. Check out the Video about their 1915 Packard pace car.

They do not charge for their tour, so we hope you can join us for a salad and sandwich lunch at their Urbana restaurant, Silvercreek.

Tour the Newly Renovated State Farm Center
Wednesday, May 24, 2017, 4:00pm
Signup Deadline: May 17, 2017
Tour Details (pdf document)
Join us at 4:00 pm on Wednesday, May 24 for a behind-the-scenes tour of the newly renovated State Farm Center, 1800 South 1st Street, Champaign (map). Learn fun facts about the history of the building and its unique architecture, see areas of the venue not usually accessible to the public, and learn about the many upgrades made during the recent three-year, $170 million renovation project. There will be a fair amount of walking on this tour, but elevators are close to the stairs.

Optional dinner - Stay with us for the optional dinner at Houlihan's Restaurant, 1900 South 1st Street, Champaign (map), where you will order from the menu and pay on your own. If the weather is nice we will eat outside. We will meet at Houlihans at approximatley 5:30 PM.

Tour of Flesor's Candy Kitchen
Cohosted by Tours and Antiques & Collectibles
Wednesday, April 12, 2017, 1:00pm
Signup Deadline: April 5, 2017
Tour Details (pdf document)
You are invited to join Tours and the Antiques & Collectibles interest group for lunch and a tour of Flesor's Candy Kitchen, 101 W Sale Street (Main and Sale), Tuscola (map), on Wednesday, April 12, 2017. We will meet for a no-host lunch at 1:00 PM, learn from the original owner's granddaughter about the reopening of the century-old shop, and have a private tour of the candy kitchen. In addition to seeing the original and antique candy-making equipment, we will have the opportunity to watch them make chocolate treats for Easter. After lunch and the tour, you can explore the Vault Arts Collective nearby, Tuscola's antique shops, or the Tuscola Outlet Mall.

There is no cost for the tour, but you must register in advance by contacting Marguerite Maguire at antiques@theillinoisclub.org by April 5. We will order from the Flesor Menu and pay on our own.

Transportation is not provided but carpools are encouraged.

Campus Tour:
The Autism Program, Chez Family Foundation Center for Wounded Veterans,
and Optional Dinner at Intermezzo Cafe

(event info)

906 and 908 W. Nevada Street, Urbana (map)
Friday, November 4, 2016. Tour: 3:15-5:00pm; Dinner: 5:15pm
Reservations are required; the tour is free
Signup Deadline: Monday, October 31, 2016
Join us on November 4 for a campus tour to learn more about UI resources for those with disabilities. First we will visit The Autism Program (TAP), located inside the Family Resiliency Center in Doris Kelley Christopher Hall. We will then walk next door to the new Chez Family Foundation Center for Wounded Veterans in Higher Education. The first location specializes in resources for those with developmental disabilities and the second for those with physical disabilities; both have resources for mental illness. After the tour there will be an opportunity to join others for a no-host dinner at the Intermezzo Cafe, located just a short walk away inside the Krannert Center for Performing Arts.

This FREE tour will be on Friday, November 4, 2016, beginning at 3:15 pm at 906 West Nevada Street, Urbana, on the northwest corner of Nevada and Lincoln. We will walk next door to 908 West Nevada Street to begin the next tour at 4:15 pm. The tours will end about 5 pm. There is metered parking in the lot west of the Wounded Veterans building and on the street. For those who use public transportation, the Red MTD bus serves this area. The tour and dinner venues are both handicap accessible. Visit https://krannertcenter.com/your-visit/food-drink/intermezzo-menu to see the Intermezzo Cafe menu.

Lincoln's Trial and Tribulations Dinner Theater - 1847 Matson Slave Trial
And Coles County Lincoln Events
Oakland, IL
Saturday, September 24, 2016, Dinner Theater 6pm-8pm, times for other events vary
Signup Deadline: September 12
Join us for the September 24th tour to Oakland, IL to experience the Lincoln's Trial and Tribulations Dinner Theater dramatizing the 1847 Matson Slave Trial. The dinner theater event happens only four times a year and sells out quickly. Coles County organizes many other events on those days to give you the opportunity to learn more about Abraham Lincoln. Coles County in East Central Illinois is less than an hour away.

You have many options for this tour. You can choose to join us for only the dinner theater from 6-8 pm at $30 per person, join us for just the free Lincoln events earlier in the day, or join us for both. This is an event for singles, couples, guests, and families. The dinner theater is appropriate for those in middle school and up. The deadline to register for the dinner theater is Sept. 12.

To learn more about the play, what's for dinner, and the other Lincoln events and locations, go to www.matsontrial1847.org/. Free events include a 1850s tent revival/camp meeting at Independence Pioneer Village, a talk on the "Rights of Slaves in the Lincoln era" at the Lincoln Douglas Debate Museum, a Harvest Frolic at the Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site, and tours of the Rutherford home.



Japan House Visit
(event info)
(co-sponsored with the Newcomers group)
2000 S Lincoln Ave, Urbana (map)
Thursday, May 19, 2016, 1:30-3:00pm
Participate in the traditional arts and aesthetics of Japanese culture as we visit Japan House at the University of Illinois campus, experience a tea ceremony, stroll thru the beautiful zen gardens, and watch a flower arranging demonstration known as Ikebana. Please bring a pair of white socks to wear inside the house. Maximum number of participants is 20, so do not delay in sending in your reservation.

The Possibilities of 3D Printing:
UI MakerLab
3030 Business Instructional Facility, 515 E Gregory Dr, Champaign (map)
Friday, January 29, 2016, 4:00-5:00pm; free
Signup Deadline: January 25, 2016
Join us as we learn about 3D printing and the innovative uses for it. After a talk and demonstration, we will have a tour of the MakerLab. One lucky attendee will get a head scan and print. For more information about the UI MakerLab, visit makerlab.illinois.edu.
Questions? Please send email to: tours@theillinoisclub.org

Optional dinner following in the private Wine Room at Biaggi's, 2235 S Neil St., Champaign, IL (map). 5:00-7:00 pm.

Transportation is not provided and there is no cost for this tour. Reservations are required. There is no minimum for number of guests, the maximum is 45 persons at the MakerLab and 30 at Biaggi's. Parking is available in the lot between the Business Instructional Facility and Huff Hall on south of Gregory St.

Exploring Rantoul
Thursday, October 8, 2015, 9:15am-4:00pm
Signup Deadline: Tuesday, September 29, 2015
Tour Details (pdf document)
Join us as we visit some hidden gems close by, less than a half hour away in Rantoul. We will have tours of BRG Sports, Generations of Hope, and Chanute Air Museum. We will carpool. For more information, see the Tour Details pdf document.

Cost/person: $20 for members, $25 for nonmember guests. Price includes lunch, entry fees, and tips.

American Music and the Great War:
A World War I Retrospective at the Sousa Archives and Center for American Music

Friday, April 17, 2015, 4:00pm to 6:30pm, including optional cocktail hour
Signup Deadline: Friday, April 10, 2015
Tour Details (pdf document)
The University of Illinois is commemorating the 100th anniversary of World War I with several events and exhibits in a cross-campus initiative. As part of this initiative, the Sousa Archives and Center for American Music will be hosting exhibits that display how music supported the war effort. On our tour we will visit the archives. The very enthusiastic and knowledgeable guide for our visit will be the Archivist and Director of the Sousa Archives, Scott Schwartz. We will conclude our tour with an optional World War I themed cocktail hour at Houlihan's featuring two traditional World War I cocktails: the Sidecar and the French 75.

For more information about World War I commemorative events, exhibits, performances, and lectures at the University of Illinois, see
http://www.thegreatwar.illinois.edu/
http://archives.library.illinois.edu/sousa/events/

New: Winter Tour to a Local Publisher
Friday, February 6
3:00 p.m to 5:30 p.m.

The Illinois Club has added a winter tour to a Champaign area business. We will be visiting Human Kinetics, a company started locally by a University of Illinois professor that has grown into a large publishing house. Human Kinetics specializes in books, pamphlets, and online resources in support of educators, students, coaches, and trainers in the area of sports, health, and physical fitness. We will be given a tour of the facility, learn more about their products, and have an opportunity to meet the people who work there. A light snack will be provided by Human Kinetics.

Transportation is not provided and there is no cost for this tour. Reservations are required so that they can prepare for our visit; visitor badges will be made in advance and ready when you arrive for the visitor sign-in process. There is no minimum for number of guests, the maximum is 40 persons. Please arrive 10 minutes in advance to allow time to park, sign in, and assemble for the start of our tour. For parking, enter from Market Street and park in the visitor spots as well as anywhere on the east side of the building (which will be closer to the main door). Human Kinetics is located at 1607 N Market Street, Champaign.

For more information about Human Kinetics, the company website is: www.humankinetics.com

Architectural Tour of Springfield (Cancelled)
Thursday, October 9, 2014


Special Family-Friendly Event
Amish Farm Dinner, Arcola, IL
Saturday, April 12, 2014
(please see the Newcomers page for details)

Chihuly & Friends at the Peoria Riverfront Museum
Friday, February 21, 2014
Join us for a docent-led tour of the Chihuly & Friends Exhibit with works from the George R. Stroemple Collection. This special exhibit features glass works by Dale Chihuly and other artists including Lino Tagliapietra and Vittorio Constantini. Following the tour, we will have free time to revisit the exhibit or explore the Peoria Riverfront Museum's other exhibits, art collections, and planetarium. Our time at the museum will be followed by self-hosted lunch at a local Peoria restaurant within a block of the museum.

Price for transportation and museum entrance is $36.00 per person for members and $41.00 for guests.

The bus will depart from The County Market Parking Lot (between Mattis and Country Fair - please park on periphery of lot) at 8:00 a.m.; lunch is scheduled for 1:15 p.m.; and we will return to Champaign approximately 4:00 to 4:30 p.m.

The museum is fully accessible, however a wheelchair-accessible bus may not be available on this date.



Collegiate Cap and Gown
1000 N. Market St.
Friday, January 24, 2014, 10am
How many times have you driven by that large building on Market Street? Have you known this building as 'Collegiate Cap and Gown', Herff Jones or simply as employment in Champaign?

When you attended a college graduation, have you remarked on the various caps and gowns of the faculty, the sleeves of the Doctorate, Master and Bachelor students? Do you know the story of the colors? Can you imagine fitting the tall, the short, the muscular, the petite?

This tour will be approximately one hour. There is no easy access for wheelchairs or walkers. There is no fee. You may sign up by sending your name to Linda, Julia and Kathy at tours@theillinoisclub.org. A head count no later than January 10, 2014 is necessary to determine the number of tour guides needed. This will be a first-come, first-reserve tour with a limit of 50 participants. We regret that this facility is not handicapped accessible.

Optional lunch arranged at Minneci's Ristorante (401 S. First St., Champaign) after tour. More info to follow closer to the event.

Taste of Iroquois County Bus Trip
Friday, October 11, 2013, 7:45 am to 4:30 pm
Onarga and Gilman, IL
Signup Deadline: October 2, 2013
Join us for a day of fun, shopping and food as we enjoy the architecture and history of nearby Iroquois County.

Upon leaving Champaign, our first stop is Onarga Academy's Cornerstone Cafe' where treats and beverages will be provided by a select group of students attending this amazing treatment facility for abused and neglected youth. Program Director, Debra Foulks, will highlight the features of the historic town hall (built in 1897) and guide us on a brief bus tour of the campus.

We will then venture to the Heartland Spa, which was converted from a dairy farm in 1983. You will thoroughly enjoy the architecture and landscape of the barn, main residence, carriage house and 32 acre lake.

After working up an appetite on the Heartland tour, we travel to The Gathering, a unique country store near Gilman, for lunch and shopping.

The day ends with wine tasting and more shopping at Inside Out, an upscale boutique in another historic building in the heart of Gilman. Enjoy a relaxing respite in the garden or search for the perfect gift before our return home.

Cost / person: $40.00 (limit of 50 people). Reservation deadline: Wednesday, October 2, 2013. Price includes travel, breakfast treats, lunch, wine tasting, meal tips and bus driver tip. You have the option at Cornerstone Cafe', The Gathering and Inside Out to purchase additional specialty drinks and desserts.



Buzard Pipe Organ Builders
Friday, February 8, 2013
112 W. Hill St., Champaign, IL at 3:30 pm
Destihl, Champaign, IL at 5:00 pm
Did you think that pipe organs were a blast from the past? Did you ever wonder how or who maintained some of the fabulous organs at our local churches and the magnificent Virginia Theater? Well, here is your chance to find out. Meet at 3:30 in the entrance of the Buzard Pipe Organ building for a thorough tour of this amazing facility. Their staff includes founder and artistic designer, John-Paul Buzard, himself, who is also the curator for the organs at the University of Illinois; Charles Eames, chief engineer; Brian Davis, tonal director; Keith Williams, service department director; three cabinet makers, and more. Who would have thought that one of the world's premiere pipe organ builders would be here in eastern Illinois?

If you work up an appetite on the tour, please join us afterwards for drinks and/or dinner at Destihl (301 N. Neil). Please RSVP for dinner as well as the tour because I need a head count so Destihl will know how to set up the tables. No need to pre-order because you can order from the menu after you are seated. If you park in the "new" parking ramp behind the M2 building (at Randolph and Hill), you can walk to both Buzard Organs and Destihl.

Bus Trip to McLean County
Friday, October 5, 2012, 7:45 am to 5:00 pm
Bloomington, IL
Sign-up Deadline, September 21, 2012
Join us on a bus trip to McLean County. Whether you are a history buff, a gardener, a wine enthusiast or an environmentalist, this multifaceted trip to McLean County is just for you. Enjoy a full day of information that begins at the Twin Groves Windmill Farm and ends with a tour and wine tasting at the White Oak Vineyards. In between we will spend 2 hours at the historical David Davis Mansion where the group will have three separate tours featuring the house itself, the out buildings and Sarah's Garden. We will enjoy lunch at CJ's near the airport with accommodations for vegetarian and gluten free diets. All of our tour stops have great sites on the web, so check it out before you decide. You'll discover that you won't want to miss this trip.

Itinerary

7:45 am - Meet at SW corner of County Market parking lot between Mattis Ave. and Country Fair Dr., 1914 Glen Park Dr., C..
8:00 - Departure (coffee, juice & breakfast treats)
9:00 - Windmill Farm
10:15 - David Davis Mansion
12:45 - Lunch at CJ's Restaurant
2:15 - White Oak Vineyard
5:00 pm - return to County Market in Champaign

Equinox House Tour (Ty & Deb Newell, owners)
Friday, April 13, 2012
2908 Haydon Dr., Urbana, IL at 4:00 p.m.
Po'Boys at 5:30 p.m.
202 E. University, Urbana, IL
Calling all engineers, home decorators, environmentalists and anyone interested in new technology! Sign up now for the tour of the "Eco House" or Equinox House as it's called by its owners, Ty and Deb Newell, at 2908 Hayden Dr. in the Beringer Commons addition of Urbana.

Ty Newell will talk with us about efficient home construction, solar energy, rainwater harvesting, indoor fresh air control, and other relevant topics as he shows us around his eco-friendly home for about an hour. For more information in these areas, visit Ty Newell's website, http://newellinstruments.com/equinox.

If you would like to continue the fun, let's meet at Po'Boys at 202 E. University (in the mini-mall near the NW corner of Cunningham Rd. and University) in Urbana (367-2255) immediately following the tour, for drinks, appetizers or dinner. Please indicate if you will be attending only the tour, or both the tour and Po'Boys when you RSVP. Also, please list the names of any guests you will be bringing. There is no charge for the tour but your meal and beverages are on your own.

New Press Box Area, Memorial Stadium
Friday, January 20, 2012
1401 S. First Street, Champaign, IL at 4:00 p.m.
Houlihan's, 1900 S. First Street, Champaign, IL at 5:00 p.m.
Join us for a tour of the newly-renovated press box and premium seating area of Memorial Stadium, also called the BSL Building. After our 45-minute tour, we will head over for an optional dinner at Houlihan's where we can enjoy a good meal and great company, or if you prefer, just some appetizers and drinks if you have other plans for the evening but would like to extend your time visiting with friends.

There is no charge for the tour, but it's important to have an accurate count for both the tour and the restaurant, so please RSVP by January 16th via email tours@theillinoisclub.org. Please make it clear if you will be attending the tour only or both the tour and meal (meal at your own cost) and indicate the name(s) of all attendees for whom you are registering.

B. Harley Bradley Home - Kankakee
Tuesday, October 4, 2011 8:30 am - 3:45 pm
Plan to include a friend or spouse, and board our charter bus at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, October 4, to visit a Frank Lloyd Wright house in Kankakee that was designed for B. Harley Bradley. Beautifully set on the banks of the Kankakee River, guests will tour the home, stable and gardens.

The former owners, Sharon and Gaines Hall, had painstakingly restored the home before turning it over to the Wright In Kankakee Foundation. As a special treat, our tour will be conducted personally by Mrs. Hall, who is a friend of Ingrid Hutchings (one of our members). This house is acknowledged as Wright's first Prairie Style design. It also is next door to another Wright design, the Hickox House, a private residence. In addition, the stable is now a gift shop.

After the tour, we will enjoy a lovely lunch at the Kankakee Country Club. The drive to the club will afford us another personal tour, led by Mrs. Hall, of some of the other historic sites in Kankakee. We should be back in Champaign before 4:00 p.m. Cost will be $55 for members and $60 for non-members for lunch, tours, and travel. Mark your calendars now for this fun trip!