Caterpillar Visitors Center Reviews

This is a great place for kids to climb up on big machines. If your kids enjoy big machines this is the place to get up close, touch, sit in and climb on equipment. The area is wheelchair accessible and even have one of the simulators that is wheelchair accessible. Good for about 90 minutes. They also have the #8 NASCAR on display with several NASCAR trophies for viewing. The gift shop has lots of CAT branded clothing, toys and housewares. We have been several times when visiting. We will go again.

We managed to stop by during an impromptu trip for spring break. We had brought our thirteen-year-old son along and the equipment and the little computerized pieces of Machinery that we could operate was a great hit.

As a CAT staff, its always an experience to visit the center and see a part of the history that CAT made. The nice movie in the beginning was nice - viewing that on the world's largest truck was an experience.
The CAT store is a quaint place to buy some CAT memorabilia.

We love the idea of a CAT center but it doesn't go much farter than that. Took the family to it and we lasted just about an hour. It's more for really youth families but there was some interesting facts.

I own one, have worked on them for years, and have trained others on them for years. And I was here to visit the home they came from.

Actually, it was a trip to be trained to know and do even more with them. To become a qualified simulator trainer on CAT’s.

WOW, what a place. I’m two hours I was only half-way through the learning/display center. And I never had time to go to the museum side of the center.

CAT drivers and users get ready to be overwhelmed with info, knowledge, history, facts and sights!

I need to get back here again to see the rest.

Kids love visiting to try the dozer and excavator simulator and sit behind the wheel of the big boy toys. We learned that large equipment displays rotate every 8-10 months so always a chance that new equipment will be displayed upon your visit. Worth 1-2 hour visit. Wish they were open on Sundays to make out of town visits easier.

We were very pleasantly surprised! Nice introductory film, the exhibits almost made you want to go out and buy a CAT or two. Bring the kids, they will love the chance for some seat time in their favorite piece of monster equipment. The gift shop was stocked with something for everyone. Thanks Caterpillar for opening this to the public!

We visited this place with my sister and her 2 year old son. He absolutely couldn't get enough of this place. Many machines to climb on and sit in and a great educational exhibition as well. One of the greatest places to visit in Peoria.

If you have any interest in heavy equipment or US manufacturing, this is a nice place to visit. It gives you a sense of the scale of some of the bigger machines. Your introduction to the Visitor Center is in a theater built into the bed of a 797 Mining Truck replica.

There is a rotating fleet of machines on the floor, usually including a Dozer and a Wheel Loader. There are some Excavator and Dozer simulators as well. One component that is not so obvious is that there is a pretty big, maze-like showcase of history, technologies, and processes. That's my favorite.

Great food great service. A little pricey but always good. Great menu with a nice variety. Can get a little loud at times.

My husband and I brought our five-year-old son and two year old twin daughters here. We were there on Wednesday afternoon, and basically had the place to ourselves. The people who were working in the exhibit area were unbelievably patient with my kids and engaging. I was surprised that their gift shop wasn't bigger didn't have more selection.

Awesome place for kids or if you want to learn all about CAT and the history. You can climb inside some of the machines, watch a few videos, learn a lot. Kids are free so that's awesome. Its a quick place to visit. It took long my family and I about an hour, tops. The gift shop is huge and has basically anything with CAT you can imagine. There are employees around all areas to give you information about different areas. They were very professional and very smart in regards to CAT. Not busy at all even on at Saturday at noon. Wheelchair accessible, kid friendly, very clean restrooms with baby changing stations. No food or drink sold on premises. Very friendly and knowledgeable employees.

Everything CAT,great history lesson,super kid friendly, so many friendly people!! They tell you probably 2 hour tour,we spent 1 !/2 but we could have spent longer as only had that amour of time.

New to the area and visited with my preschooler. Interactive enough to keep him entertained and plenty of information to keep me interested. Overall a great place to visit.

The first plus was the free parking ramp that is attached to the building. The introductory film, shown in the bed of a huge mining truck, was wonderful. We loved seeing the huge machines up close. Some displays you can sit in. There is interactive displays for those that want to try them. The history of the engineering involved, the care of the company in re-using, refurbishing, etc. is so impressive. Another plus was we happened upon a free day in honor of Caterpillar’s 100th anniversary, along with a nice backpack filled with merchandise was an added bonus.

This place demonstrates the power of Caterpillar in US. It’s a huge place close to adm building which have stores and theater to receive visitor’s. The Cat store is amazing and have good deals for customers. Well done Cat!

We visited with a kids ages 4, 8 and 15. Each of them had a great time. The 2 older kids loved the simulators and the 4 yr old loved climbing up into the machinery. Great way to spend a few hours.

Excellent info and history of Caterpillar. Hands on for some of the exhibit. The young ones enjoyed being on the machines.

We enjoyed our visit to the museum but it's a little pricey for how big it is. If it was a little cheaper we would probably visit more often since we live pretty close. The kids really loved climbing in the machinery.

This is the first time my husband and I have been. We enjoyed it alot. People there were very informative. So much history. Recommend it.

Great place to visit for anybody associated with cat. I love this place. Has an excellent gift shop.

First of all - I have (2) girls 9 and 7 - and they had a great time sitting in the big trucks. Playing with the simulators. Susie and Ken - are just wonderful and you can tell how much they enjoy their jobs and Caterpillar is so lucky to have them.
There is not a whole lot to do there - but it was fun for the kids to just play on the equipment. Was not very crowded and just enjoyable.

So much fun to learn about how these machines are made and what they do! Very informative with Plenty of hands-on activities for children and adults! Even simulators and an engineering challenge for older teens!

We went on a free entrance to the museum day and they served treats! Unfortunately, it was very busy with retirees so you couldn’t get to see a few things. The best part is the opening movie!

This place is so fun, especially for kids! They have real Caterpillar equipment with stairs leading up to the doors so kids can play in them. They also have simulations so you can see what it's like to drive some of the equipment. There's also a lot you can learn, so it's a great place for adults too. They also have a gift shop.

This place is easily one of the worst "visitor's centers" I have ever seen. After paying $7 a person to get it, to something that doesn't compare to John Deere in Moline for FREE, is ludicrous.

The fantasy of CAT being in the Peoria area for much longer is nothing more then a pipe dream, didn't they promise a new World HQ downtown for years bilk the City out of money for years only to leave? CAT isn't staying in IL, anybody with half a brain knows this..I am wondering what the City of Peoria's investment in this is that will be lost..

The exhibits are dull and drab to say the least, you can see better at an equipment dealer for FREE and be treated better.

I would feel sorry for anybody caught in this area after dark.

Wake up Peoria, your Riverfront is terrible and this place makes it worse.

You have to enter by going to a movie first. Then you realize where you are, inside the theatre. After the short movie, you head downstairs. In the southeast corner there are at least 4 virtual tractor operator booths. These are cool, and we spent most of our time right there. Not much else to do or interact with, just a walkaround looking at various machines.

I actually work for Cat and love this place. I see people who aren't familiar with Cat go there and come away amazed - it's a great company with a great history - if you're in town I recommend stopping by.

We spent 2 hours going through the museum. The tour guides are enthusiastic and informative. It is great to see an American company that takes care of their employees and their community. Well done, Caterpillar!

Great escape on a hot day. Following a short movie, the tour is self-guided. Layout is a bit confusing as to best starting point but it is easy to wander. There are other short films but I found them to be more self promotion than information. Lots of historical equipment as well as current designs and what goes into that planning. Plenty of guides on floor of whom to ask for information. There is also a gift shop available.

Heading east after visiting relatives in Denver and Omaha, our route took us thru Peoria, IL. Our relatives had recommended that we stop at the Caterpillar Visitor's Center in Peoria - so we timed our trip so that we spent the night in Peoria and headed to the Visitor's Center shortly after it opened in the morning. WOW -- if you're into "heavy equipment" or the history of heavy equipment, this place is a delight. They have a lot of actual equipment on display plus a partial real/partial replica of a GIANT earthmover/hauler. There is a video in the theater plus numerous displays, interactive exhibits and additional videos around the center. And, of course, there is a gift shop where you can purchase genuine Caterpillar themed merchandise.

Allow a couple of hours to see everything.

This is a great place to check out. Since retired Cat people work there, they a so knowledgeable. Ken, Sue and Roger were on duty when we visited. They shared so much information and made the experience just so great. Ken was so nice. Thanks.

Was a little disappointed. The beginning of the tour was neat to sit inside the huge mining truck replica. The video was very informative. The show room floor was nice guess I expected to see more Caterpillar equipment. There was a volunteer who was a little pushie. If he would have just let us walk around and looked at things at our own pace it would have been better. This gentleman seemed to want to take control of our visit and I do not believe that was his position as there were only two volunteers in this section of the visitor center.

Our 3.5 year old grandson and 15monthold granddaughter from San Diego loved their visit here. The vehicle simulators were fun for our adult son and his children.

This was a very interesting place to visit. Wasn't sure I would enjoy this place but was very impressed on the information on the equipment they make. They start with a movie and then you visit the area where they have some of the equipment the make. You can sit inside them. They have people through out the area to answer any question you may have and many TV's to show how they make these big machines.

I like that the displays change and that there is an extensive merchandise store, but not a huge fan of having to pay to get in if you are not an employee.

We’ve been to the visitors center several times now. We have grandchildren who love to run the equipment. My 6 year old granddaughter thought we were going to a “cat” center and was only momentarily disappointed. The volunteer staff are absolutely great and always there to show you how to operate something.

The CAT Visitor Center is a definite SEE for anyone who is a CAT or Heavy Equipment enthusiast. Two floors of CAT history, interactive displays, and pieces of state of the art CAT equipment await visitors to examine, climb aboard, and use simulators to operate. The displays are equally geared to children and adults. Located on the historic riverfront, next The the Peoria City Museum Complex, it is a great place to bit. Ticket prices vary by day and season, so check out ticket pricing on line. There is lots to see and do there for an enjoyable day out with restaurants close by. "BIG YELLOW" spared no expense with this attraction in downtown Peoria. Don't miss it!

Very well put together and informative. Had a great visit! Brought back many memories of my Dad as a heavy equipment operator growing up.

We stopped by to visit this Visitors Center but couldn't get in. It was before closing and we parked in the garage that we were instructed to park. We went to the door and followed the instructions to press the button for admittance (the door was locked) but no one every answered. We finally gave up and left. At least the area around it was pretty.

Its been a while since I've been there (probably a couple of years), but at the time, I was with my brother from the Chicago suburbs, who came down to Peoria with a group of his grandkids. They liked it so much that he took them back for a second day.

As a CAT supplier it's quite amazing to see what we are helping to built. It is a really nice place to visit. Machines in there are awesome!

As we‘re proud of being CAT supplier and having minimum once a year trip to Peoria (normally twice- ....note we‘re from Germany) we always say at the visitor center to see what‘s new. 797 replica in real size is always impressing. The movie at the beginning of the tour is typically American but nice to watch. Downstairs you have some kind of machines you can inspect and a great and „visible“ summary of CAT technology and history. If you‘re Peoria Illinois this is a must. The entrance fee is 7$ only and you can park for free inside basement parking of the visitor center. We will (for sure) come back!

We visited this place in late November on a Saturday. The last admission was at 3.30 PM CST. The staff here are mostly retired employees of CAT. They know the company in and out. All of them were very kind. The kind of equipment on display is mind blowing. An old employee working there told us that the magnificent mining truck makes the earth underneath in a mine sink by 3 inches when parked over night. Imagine the truck's weight. I and my kids enjoyed trying our hands on many CATs. Don't miss going through the 7 rooms inside that display some history and their manufacturing processes. Plenty to learn. Plan to spend up to 2 hours here.

That was my original thought because it was a Monday & the Caterpillar Visitor Center was only place open plus we had a day to do something around Peoria, Il.
But I was: TOTALLY WRONG!! What a cool museum of Caterpillar equipment. One of the 1st pieces of machinery you will see up close & personal is a HUGE mining truck whose tires are 14' tall & one of its tires could make 100's of car tires(told you it was BIG!) The Museum people are retired Caterpillar folks and they make the tour fun. They are helpful. They just like to visit and find our where you are from. They even readily offer to take you & your family's photo standing in front of any of the machines on display. Added Treat: the seats vibrate with the truck video shown as an introduction to the whole Caterpillar display and exhibits. Tip: when finished visiting the Caterpillar Center talk a short 2 block walk down the hill to the riverside and try Emack & Bolio's Ice Cream Shop--you will NOT be disappointed.

We had a great couple hours killing time waiting for a flight to come in at the visitor's center. it was fun, kids climbed inside the equipment and did the virtual reality driving and we checked out the museum. The introductory show was neat too.

Traveling back home to MN from FL we made an overnight pit stop in IL to wait out the WI snowstorm. Made a road trip from the truck stop to Peoria to check this place out. W enjoyed the self guided tour and checking out the equipment inside. The simulator machines were fun to “play/operate” a dozer and an excavator…..makes you appreciate the talent the guys have to operate that big equipment. Great stop for the entire family…they’ve got awesome things for kids.

The CAT visitors center was great and very interesting. More than just a visitors center or a showplace of the companies' equipment, more of a combination of museum, fun place for kids and family and a fascinating opportunity to learn more and interact with the latest equipment. The entire staff is former "real" employees of the overall company and that are happy and proud to explain anything you want.

If you are in town for business, this is definitely worth seeing.

Get to see and play with some of the Caterpillar equipment.
Simulators for kids, lots of history of CAT. Great shop with CAT merchandise.
Free to CAT employees.
Bit much free parking nearby tho so be prepared to pay for parking.

The Caterpillar Visitors Center is filled with dated films (2017, 2019), some machinery (which is beautiful) , and descriptions of products I had no idea Caterpillar manufactures. They had some antique Caterpillar equipment that was museum quality. They also had a Caterpillar time line that made the center a bit like a museum. Men seemed to love the simulators where they could try operatine a back hoe (and the like.) However, most of the exhibit was an advertisement for Caterpillar: how many salesmen and repairmen they have in the world...how they "just want to help people" ... how various customers love their Caterpillar customer representatives, etc. There is nothing wrong with advertising, and what the company advertises may well be true. Caterpillar should not have charged admission to give the visitor one ad after another.

I visited this place and can say that it was an ok experience for me. It is quite informative with regards to the history and background of Caterpillar.

The movie at the start was like any other movie. Definitely interesting that we are sitting inside a Cat full size machine to watch the movie.

There are some simulators at the lower level which I am sure kids would enjoy playing with. They also have models and people can go and sit inside those machines.

Overall, I think kids will enjoy their time here.

For a first time visitor, it was very interesting. We really loved the section telling us about the Caterpillar basketball team. I had no previous knowledge of this team being so great. How they worked for Cat then played and Won the Olympics!! None were professionals, but how grand. A big thanks for Cat to show off this proud event for Peoria people.
Going thru the tractors, the grandson enjoyed it, the HUGE wheels of the loader? I think that is what it was, the first stop on the museum, made you feel- well lets let you determine what you feel.
I would say after you see the equipment once, that is enough. Maybe that was justs me. Great location, restaurants close. Worth a one time viewing unless they change out all the equipment or bring in more exhibits like the basketball. I am sure they will do that. You just have to check their on line info.
We visited prior to May of 2015

The kids were free and it only cost me $7 to get in. Starts off with a small movie before going down to the exhibits. The simulators were fun for my 7 year old, but pretty difficult for my 4 year old. Both kids loved being able to climb up inside some of the equipment though. Staff was extremely nice. Gift shop was slightly overpriced though.

Seeing is believing... This was my first visit to the “Cat” visitor center and the place is beautiful! The event was nice and had its purpose, but the facility really set it off. Of course you will see some of the history of Caterpillar 🐛 and the equipment they have built over the years! It definitely is a must see if you are ever in the area.

Great place to take visitors, very informative about the history of CAT.
We enjoyed looking at the huge tractors. and the movies to explain the company.

The 2nd & 3rd graders enjoyed a visit here on a fieldtrip! They enjoyed the video presentation and the simulators.

Our 82 year old father was visiting from California. He enjoyed the movies,the history, and seeing all the tractors and the really big truck. They staff was great and the place very wheel chair friendly.

My visit of the Caterpillar Visitors Center can be summarized as follows: beautiful building, excellent P-garage, nice staff, amazing equipment and machinery, good information, nice historic photographs (e.g. the construction of the Panama Canal), well produced and informative videos, useful info about design and manufacuring of Caterpillar equipment, presentation of interesting technical subjects. Overall an excellent visitors center filled with pride about a great company; and a great gift shop.

A marvelous tribute to Engineering and the 90+ year history of Caterpillar. It begins with a brief movie shown in the bed of a 400 Ton mining truck and ends with simulators and real equipment.

Visited the Caterpillar Visitor Center for the first time and will definitely be back! Children under 12 are FREE! Our 4 year old grandson loved it! At least 5 vehicles to climb up into and experience the driver’s seat. In addition, simulators that you can “drive” and get a feel for operating. There are several videos that we enjoyed that showed the scope of the Caterpillar impact around the world. One is an introductory video shown in a theater in the simulated bed of an off-road mining truck. They also had a great display of CAT race car memorabilia. Very cool museum!

This center offers a high quality experience of interest to all ages and varied interests. Ranging from the "in the iron" feel of powerful machines, to soil mechanics, virtual reality, ergonomic design, manufacturing technology, history, and the fun of trying out simulators, exhibits are rotated to keep visits fresh. Special, themed exhibit materials are changed out with details of currently featured themes available at the center's web site. Plan about an hour and half for most visits, but quicker and longer visits are possible based on the visitor's schedule and interest level. Most assuredly a unique experience.

We took a little time to see the Caterpillar machines and try the simulators. I loved the engines and being able to sit in the cabs.

See amazing pieces of new and old equipment. Have a little fun with hands attractions and large vehicles to sit on. See the history of one of America's largest companies.

The highlight of this exhibit is the replica of the giant dump truck with a movie theater in the bed. The seats in the theater are equipped with little motors so you can feel the rumble of the machines in the film, which is a nice touch. The main gallery has an exhibition of antique tractors and some new ones. Also some fun computer simulations where you can “operate” CAT equipment though they aren’t very tolerant of errors, ending your session if you bump yourself with the bucket for example . Also the computer display of the one I was on crashed and I had to move to a different one while they restarted it.

You can only climb on two of the tractors on display, which people might find disappointing. The galleries and in the back are a mixture of fascinating engineering and assembly info and boring company propaganda so don’t take much time.

The docents are CAT retirees who are plentiful, friendly and helpful. There is also a gift shop with more CAT merchandise than you thought possible.

This is a great attraction to the Peoria area, fun for kids and adults alike.
Take advantage of the simulators and climbing in and out of the machines. Great little detour for families looking to kill a couple of hours while at the Civic Center or in the Peoria area for the weekend.

If you are a little boy at heart and enjoy looking at the big Tonka toys, this is a great spot to visit.
Free parking was available underneath the Caterpillar Center.
Once inside, you start off watching a short video in the dump bed of the largest dump truck ever! History of Caterpillar is on one floor with all the product innovations, manufacturing, etc. They have a bulldozer and front-end loader that one can get into the cab and see all the controls. There are a couple of simulators that one can attempt to master the controls of a trackhoe and bulldozer.
It was interesting to see it all. The retired Cat employees were friendly and informative when answering questions.

Loved the film which is shown in bed of a really large truck. Several pieces of large equipment on display and docents were very informative and answered all questions with obvious knowledge of the Caterpillar industry and history. Parking was confusing however- many vacant parking spots but no parking signs. finally found we could park behind the museum in underground parking and take elevator to museum. This parking garage also was use for Riverfront Museum and we then crossed parking garage and took elevator to that museum.

good place to visit at Peoria
its Caterpillar heritage..
I'm sure caterpillar staffers and retired must me proud of what they have done over the years

have collection of videos and machines.

Our family visits often. We take all visitors or family that visits us to see the place. I really enjoy the various exhibits that are there for a short time. These have included the Power Parade, the basketball team, the girl's/women's softball league etc. My favorite thing to show adult visitor's is the building of the 797 on-site (it is on a TV screen about 1/2 way through the facility). Kids enjoy climbing up on the machines to see all the displays, knobs etc. Kids and many adults enjoy the simulators. I don't like the simulators. They don't make sense to me compared to driving the actual machines. I think better simulators would be nice.

Upon entry, visitors enter a movie theater the size of a 797 truck bed. The movie is a great introduction to Caterpillar. There is an area where they have real machines on display. These machines are setup so you can climb up and look inside their cabs. The simulators are also in this area. There are a couple of places where various short videos can be selected to view on topics related to the equipment. One of the areas where you can view the videos is underneath the right side of the large 797 model. Many times, there is a video related to the current special exhibit.

I wish that they had the machines that take the penny and flatten them with an impression of a machine, or the architecture of the visitor's center etc. The other attractions in the area like the museums, zoos, and Wildlife Prairie Park offer this type of souvenir. The merchandise store offers things themed with the visitor's center.

Although the visitor's center is wheel chair accessible, it does not have very many benches to help out with visitor's that cannot stand for long periods of time. The benches it has are very hard and not easy for getting up and down since there are no arm rests. It would be nicer to have additional wooden benches with arm rests through out the facility to accommodate those that cannot remain standing for long periods of time. (a soft vinyl padded seat attached to the bench would be better yet)

The visitor's center is free for employees and retirees. It is free for kids under 12 that are with an adult. It is reasonably priced for others. It is not open on Sundays (and not open most holidays). The staff and volunteers really show their happiness to work there and show guests around.

Very enjoyable look at so much heavy equipment, as well as a look back to their beginning. Easy to find along the river and very pleasant staff!

Yes...It's all about Caterpillar! Nice, helpful people on the floor to answer questions, and it's great to see all those monstrous machines, and the simulators are fun, but I don't know why they charge admission since it is a big "selfie" of Caterpillar and an advertisement for the company. I'd rather see it free with a donation box to some kind of worthy charity!

A great rainy day activity for the family. Friends live in the area were sp proud to take us here. Introduction from the lady from reception (big apology for not getting a name) was informative and really knows her stuff. Great place to walk around and see videos of how the machinery is made. Thank you!

I had been told to check this out when visiting Peoria. So glad I did. I've spent many a mile either behind or on to of a 3406 Cat engine. It's a very powerful engine and I've pulled some very heavy loads. They have several videos to watch from how this all started to showing you their truck that can haul 400 ton.
They have simulators so you can act like you ran a bulldozer and a backhoe. They have several actual machines you can get up in an sit in the cab. I've got long legs and over 6' tall. Seems a little cramped for my comfort.
They have retirees on the floor to assist in the tour and answer any questions you may have. Great experience for all ages.

We enjoyed a wonderful evening viewing the Titanic exhibit. The staff were wonderful in making sure we found our way around and we were comfortable. The 3+ hour program was first class with a sit down dinner served by Cracked Pepper. The big screen was a wonderful addition.

What a great museum to visit. Very interesting, informative and good history. Everything displayed very well. Just wish the shop had more to offer in the way of sizes. Enjoyed it throughly.

My two-year-old grandson is a nut for any type of motor or construction vehicle, and this museum managed to hold his interest for a good hour and a half, including the 8 minute movie (of mostly talking heads.) I myself am not a CAT devotee, but I was pleasantly surprised that it held my interest as well (but not as much as his!) They have many interactive exhibits and virtual reality programs, and one MONSTROUSLY large CAT vehicle that absolutely dwarfs everything else. The gift shop has everything from tee shirts to hats to play vehicles. I bought my grandson a DVD that shows nothing but the vehicles themselves, and he views it every day. The DVD has an animated character named "Henry" whose is on his first day of the job at CAT, and since my grandson's name is "Henry", it is just the icing on the cake for him. He can name every different type of machinery on the DVD and dances along with the somewhat cheesy music. I think it would depend on any particular child's interest as to whether they would enjoy this museum, but it was a definite hit for Henry!

The visitor center provides a lot of historical information about Caterpillar. But, it could just has well have been in any downtown of any city (vs. the home of Caterpillar).

Sometimes its not good to set expectations too high. It was informative, interactive and interesting. The staff was friendly and helpful. After the visit everyone commented about it how it was a solid 7 out of 10.

My brother and sister-in-law were in town from Arizona and wanted to visit the museum. Our father worked at Cat for 30 years and is retired. We were able to get some great pictures for him. The visitors center is very well put together. The history is interesting and the simulators provide a lot of fun for all ages. Veterans receive a discount with ID.

We have twin boys and they loved all the big tractors! They had a blast getting in them and acting like they were driving. Caterpillar museum is a great place to take your kids young and old.

I am not into big tractors, but I have 3 boys that do enjoy such things. They had a good time sitting in the different vehicles, but the best part of it was trying the simulators. You try to cover an underground pipe using a bulldozer and backhoe type machine. (Hey, I said that I am not into big machines.)

Visited with three generations. The young childrem liked to climb on the machines while the older enjoyed reading and taking part with the displays.

Home town for Caterpillar.
Well it was a very hot day (about 40celcius) as I walked pass the Caterpillar Visitor Center so I thought I'd pop in to get some shade and discovered they had a museum exhibiting Caterpillar Equipment for an entrance fee of $7.00 Now $7.00 is not much but does a multi billion dollar multi national corporation really need to charge?
However, it was very interesting and includes a fullsize replica of the world's largest mining vehicle - wow, with wheels which stand 14ft / 4.3m high - very impressive. You start the museum tour with a film on the company and then you are free to wander and read up on the history and modern day deployments of Caterpillar. There are some interactive simulators ti try out too. All fun trying to operate.
A little like paying a fee to be advertised to but enjoyable hour spent.

This was super great. I have to admit that I wasn’t expecting much but let’s be honest kids love equipment. A lot of cool information and things to see to do for near no money. Even watching the videos was a blast. I would say it’s a must for anyone in the area with kids or anyone who loves watching Dirty Jobs

My grandkids want to go here every time they visit us. It's a great way to spend a day and see what their family members do when they work.

What an amazing visitor center. Not too big and not too little. It is the perfect size. The other really neat thing is that they change out the displays so it stays fresh and interesting. It is amazing to see what human engineering is capable of doing and wonderful to see such amazing equipment available to see, touch, try and sit in. For those with kids who are impressionable it provokes the possibility of what one can do. A must stop on your way through Peoria.

the kids had a great time there. they loved watching the show before we went checking out the tractors.

Nice visitor center. Bit pricey but provides good insight into CAT history. Big mining truck inside is good attraction. Some games and simulation that would attract kids as well. Good place to know more about this good old company

Our trainer took us here to see the history of Catapiller and stop at the merchandise shop. Loved the visit. I hope to come again.

We were headed to Iowa for a baseball game. Well, we decided to stay a couple of days in Peoria, IL. During the evening, I checked Trip Advisor for some ideas on things to do in the area. As you can see, I surprised the wife with a visit to the Caterpillar Visitor’s Center. Although, the title of Visitor’s Center doesn’t justify it because it was more like a museum dedicated to Caterpillar.

First, there is a lot of reading regarding the history of the corporation. Although, the signage/flow-charts was easy to follow and the nostalgic photos helped pull in the reader. The examples of machinery added to the reading for some of the displays.
Next, during our visit there was an area dedicated to the Caterpillar Dieselettes a fast-pitch softball team. In fact, they had a video that was narrated by Morgan Freeman. The team was sponsored by and composed of women from Caterpillar Tractor Company in nearby East Peoria.

Perhaps, the best thing Caterpillar did was to hire their retired workers (Ken, Ron, etc.) to provide details and help showcase the exhibits. Ken truly had the skills, knowledge and experience to run this museum. Besides, this helped make it feel like those employees were still the primary reason for the company’s existence. As a society, our mindset has been changed were the employees are expendable and the company is more valuable. Hopefully, Caterpillar will keep this mentality into the future.

We're senior citizens and loved the interactive display! Kids would love it! So impressed by size of one the machines!

Great for families of all ages. Very informative it was so need to be able to go inside the different vehicles. My two year-old daughter absolutely loved it. Highly recommend and we’ll gladly do it again.

The Caterpillar Visitors Center & Museum is situated in downtown Peoria. Free parking is available in the adjacent Water Street Garage and admission is USD 7 with reductions for seniors. Children are free, and from what we saw the Center is really something for all ages.

The history of the company is very interesting and obviously the huge dump truck at the entrance is quite impressive. Also the excellent team members at the Center should be mentioned, most of them former employees with comprehensive knowledge about the company and the products.

We really enjoyed our visit here and also the well stocked merchandise center with so many great gifts.

A nice place to visit to learn about Caterpillars... after a nice quick 8 minute movie there is a self guided tour. We spent about an hour there. Even the big boys enjoyed it acting like little boys again.

The visitor center is beautifully done. The machines are impressive. The staff is a bit standoffish, though, once you get past the front desk admission area. I wanted to sit in a few of the displays but they only seemed to have interest in people with children when I was there. The staff just simply stood there and looked at me with a blank state. Overall it was a good visit and they also are kind enough to offer a military/veteran discount.

I live and grew up in the area and took my kids (5 and 2) to the Caterpillar Visitors Center. Like most boys, they love big construction equipment so I thought it would be a fun visit. The Caterpillar Visitors Center is really a place for Caterpillar to showcase there products and is geared more towards current or potential customers as well as for Caterpillar employees to show there families what they do than it is for people to explore the world of big machines, how they are made, and how they work. At all stages, Caterpillar seems to be trying to sell you something. For example, there is audio piped in at one station that discusses the benefits of Caterpillar Financial Services Corp. This sorts of things usually tend to not bother me considering I was at the Caterpillar Visitors Center, but at times I felt I just paid Caterpillar to experience an interactive commercial.

The building/facility for the center is beautiful, but in the end there are too little attractions to make the experience worth travelling in for. However, if you happen to be in the area and have an interest in the Company, I would recommend it.

The Cat visitor’s center is a neat place, and it presents a good cross section of Cat’s past and present achievements. You have to pay a few buck for admission, but there’s an interesting presentation about Caterpillar in a theater laid out in what appears to be a dump truck bed, some simulators that adults and / or kids can try out, and a load of historical information for you to absorb. I went with my 10 year old son a while back, and we spent an hour or so poking around the facility. He had fun, but after a while got bored and was ready to move on to something new. All in all, it’s something to see, especially if you’re a Cat connoisseur or live in Cat country, but just know it’s going to cost a few bucks and it’s not something that’s going to take a whole day to walk through.

Took my daughters and grandsons last year. Seemed like it'd be boring and I must admit, we didn't sit through many of the videos or pay a whole lot of attention to the history/museum part of it, but it was a treasure trove of great activities for the grandsons! They climbed on all the machinery more than once, got to steer and turn knobs and pretend to their heart's content. It really is a fun place to go, especially if you do it and the Riverfront Museum together. Peoria should be proud.

Interesting museum with fee fur entry compared to JD in Moline (free).

Great discounts for employees -
Main plant is across Illinois River in east Peoria -

Close to riverfront and its museum

This is a fun center, with a great mix of Cat history and info on some of the largest machines you will ever see. Staff is primarily Cat retirees, and you can tell they really love telling their stories. Leave about three hours, and if you have kids, there are some great simulators where they (and you!) can "operate" a piece of Cat equipment.

Nice point: if you are a service veteran, bring your ID. The Center, like many other places in Peoria, offers you a discount!

Last week my various family members (some from Peoria and some from out of state; 4 adults and 2 children aged 5 and 2) visited the CAT museum. All ages thoroughly enjoyed our time there. Keep up the great work CAT Museum!

Great place for kids and adults. The staff was very informative. The various machines were fun to climb on. Allow 2 hours

A commendable center put together by Caterpillar to reflect their global presence and invest in their community. The kids had a ball playing on the equipment and watching the movie in the large truck. Worth a visit if you're in the area!

If you're a Caterpillar fan or a 5 year old you'd probably have a great time. Not much there. Simulators look neat but are usually very busy.

My son loved sitting in the various diggers and earth movers. He went around a few times but there was enough to keep the adults interested at the same time. Good value for money too!

An excellent exhibit featuring caterpillar history and machines. The feature of the Center is watching the video in the bed of the largest mining truck Cat makes. Plus you get to sit in actual production machines and there are simulators around to try your skill at operating.

If you have any interest in construction or equipment, this is a great two hours. For kids, thy have simulators of the various CAT equipment, and they (or the adults) can run a dozer or backhoe, etc. Clean, well organized, and close to the rest of downtown. Only a block from the riverfront.

I was here on business and we were taken to the Caterpillar Visitor Center to learn more about our hosts. I had always seen the machines from the highway, but actually standing in the bed of some of their larger machines was incredible. It put me in a whole new prospective.

If you an enthusiast about machines and how mining happens this is the destination. Walk around the machines, touch and feel them. If you are bored, take a walk by the river. And if you are hungry treat yourself with great food options all at walk-able distance.

This is a great place to visit. Very interesting with actual equipment to see. There were even simulators for hands-on experience. Very well done!

Nice tour for anyone interested in the heavy machinery. The opening movie in the large dump truck was very interesting. The staff were quite knowledgeable and the displays were informative and the simulators were fun. Definitely recommend this center.

Caterpillar. An American icon and industrial giant that spans the globe. The center of the Central Illinois universe since 1909. THE BIG YELLOW GOD! Come pay homage to the tractor overlords at the Caterpillar Visitors Center located in downtown PEORIA, IL!! Located just far enough from the projects that you shouldn't have to worry about being shot and cater corner from Caterpillar's world headquar...um, never mind. They moved that to Deerfield, IL (Chicago) in 2017. So much for "Caterpillar will stay in Peoria", huh, Doug. -(Feb 2015). I do wonder what Caterpillar is going to do with all that land they snatched up in downtown Peoria?? You should see the artists rendition of the fake headquarters they said they were going to build before they rope-a-doped Peoria. It would have been nice. But back to the Museum. Its $7 for an adult. Kids are free I believe. You start out watching mandatory corporate propaganda in the bed of a 989F mining truck converted into a theater. The truck is made out of dry wall (except for the cab, that's real), but the íntent is there and its impressive. Once released from the brainwashing, you proceed downstairs where you can A) turn right and wander down the cattle chute chock full of Caterpillar company banality ("meet our valved employees"...no mention of the thousands they laid off locally the past couple of years), manufacturing techniques (cool), and a long time-line of corporate history (relevant). Or B) turn left for the money shot. The real reason you came. To see the product floor!! You can get up close and personal to some serious steel. They even let us serfs sit in some. Very cool. There also some tractor simulators in the corner that allows you to pretend you are a heavy equipment operator and not the office slub you really are. You'll just have to elbow some kids out of the way to get a turn. (and its home pc quality...don't expect NASA-level technology). But, it does drive (haha) home the fact how hard these things are to operate. So next time you drive by a construction site, remember the boys and girls making it look easy are real pros. But honestly, the real treat (quite unintended) is talking to the Cat retirees that wonder the floor looking in vain for some one to talk to about Caterpillar. These people are either paid or volunteers, I don't know. But they are a wealth of information. All true old-timers. Ask them for instance about health insurance benefits. Or how much Caterpillar's relationship with the community and its employees has changed. You'll get an earful. All good stuff. Annnnd that's it. Oh, except for the gift shop. Kid wants a die cast road grader? Its that or college, son. That stuff ain't cheap. And they wonder way the internet is killing retail. Duh, 'cause its cheaper! For the record, I am not nor never have been a Caterpillar employee. I know tons since you can't throw a rock without hitting someone who works for Cat, although a lot less nowadays (see aforementioned lay-offs). But I am a proud Peoria native and still live in the area (some what ashamedly...but I do love my Central Illinois). The museum is good, though. I'm grateful they put it up. And Caterpillar for all their corporate faults, does donate a lot money for charities and the like. (until it affects their stock price that is). But the glory days are over. The Rust Belt is getting closer. So, please come by, spend some time and money in Central Illinois and help stave off the death of a once great and proud American city. It'll only be an hour or two out of your day.

Visited here with family. They have a gift shop and some on site food and beverage purchase. They give you a small tour and show you a short video. If you are an engineer you will enjoy it. It's downtown Peoria. Machines and more machines. Worth a visit if this is your forte.

You love big trucks. Everybody does. History of Caterpillar and world wide use of the machines and power plants. Theater in the bed of the second largest truck they build. Hand on activities including simulators.

my dad worked for CAT for 43 years, and I really enjoyed the historical and equipment displays. my grand children liked the interactive games and beong able to climb up into the large tractors and trucks.

We go to this place several times a year. Clean, fun for all ages and we learn allot everytime! Lots of retired Caterpillar employees work here so they are full of information and want kids to have a great experience as well as adults!

One of the best “Earth Moving” equipment that I’ve experienced. By contrast I’ve visited the John Deere Visitors Center in nearby Quad Cities and there’s no comparison if your are a youngster or a youngster at heart.
The CAT experience includes a faux ride in the dump of the biggest hauler of them all comparable to a Disney theme park ride. On occasion visitors can make arrangements to visit the nearby Cat Proving grounds.

I'm not usually into machinery, but this museum is fascinating. There is a Disneyland like introductory film explaining just how truly international Caterpillar is. Then you can see real earthmoving equipment and even try a virtual experience of trying to drive one of these monsters.

My husband and I drove 95 miles to visit. Very nice and knowledgeable staff, along with several movies and lots of historical areas to learn how Cat got started. Highly recommend!

Had a great time. Went with 2 grandsons, 11 and 7. Interesting equipment and everyone had a great time doing the simulator backhoes. The machines were there also to climb in and get your picture taken.

The visitor center has got everything to keep a 7 year old as well as a 70 year old entertained. Apart from the awe of staring at some massive mining vehicles to the simulators to the mini-musuem of Caterpillar, it is an okay place to spend an hour.

This place has something for everyone. Kids and adults can run simulators (like a video game) like you are actually operating these huge machines. There are many artifacts from the history of Cat. There are several very interesting movies.

Well worth the hour or so. Not really for small children, but Adults should enjoy this when in Peoria.

Great people to help at every turn. If we had a question or request, they had the answer. We could not ask for a more competent group

Caterpillar Visitors Center in Peoria IL is a perfect place for visitors to get proper knowledge and understanding of the achievements of Caterpillar, Inc. (founded in 1925), that nowadays has 110 manufacturing facilities, employing over 100,000 people world-wide. For this mega corporation, it all translates into $53,8 billion revenue and the net income of $6,09 billion - both numbers are for the year of 2019.

In Peoria metro area there are four major CAT plants , employing now about 12,000 people.

Opened in 2012, the impressive 50,000 sq. ft. Caterpillar Visitors Center presents the vast data on the development of the company and all its products -- machinery, engines, financial products -- using the printed , audio and video means of information, as well as the machinery exhibits, that can be "tested" and "practiced" by visitors on guided simulators. It is almost like a first-hand experience, operating an excavator!

Although Caterpillar Visitors Center is now temporarily closed for visitors, one can get the info through virtual tours, organized by the center.

Caterpillar Visitors Center certainly has the best location downtown -- close to the historic districts, the picturesque Riverfront, various businesses, attractions, hotels and restaurants. The scenic views from the elevated, exquisitely and tastefully landscaped grounds, where the center is located, are just wonderful.

Parking is ample, both onsite, on the streets, and along the attractive Riverfront part of the city.

Explore the machines of Cat, watch a video in a dump truck.... It’s definitely a must see of Peoria for families with kids! Simulators that are like driving a machine are a bit with the big kids too .

Great place to visit for young and old alike. Caterpillar employees are there to give you hands on experiences in the big trucks and other heavy equipment made in their plants around the world. Interesting displays and demonstrations. Not expensive and Caterpillar has been one of Peoria's main businesses for decades.

My son has always been fascinated by heavy machinery, this was a real treat to see the equipment up close and to experience maneuvering the mighty machines thru the many simulators. It was great!

What a wonderful venue to learn more about Caterpillar tractor which has been a mainstay for central Illinois. The docent on duty was very friendly and informative. The short 7 minute movie that preceded the tour was well done. The training stations were a lot of fun and made me appreciate the skills those heavy equipment operators possess. this was highlight of our trip to Peoria. Be sure to visit the gift shop as well walked out with a bag full of CAT. Highly recommend.

We parked in the free parking underneath the center, and took the elevator up. We were welcomed as we entered and given a brief overview. We watched the introductory video, which was inside one of their bigger trucks. Did I say HUGE? (see the pic) There were retired employees who were very knowledgeable and willing to answer any questions you might have. The displays were varied and extremely well done. Incredibly interesting. I didn't think it would appeal to me, but I would be willing to go back and view it again to pick up on some of the displays I missed. If you like new experiences and would like to find out more about those yellow vehicles you see all over, this is the place!

I am a union caterpillar employee and my grandson wanted to see things caterpillar builds. My family and I did enjoy the displays and interactive simulators. The 797 mining truck was pretty impressive. Only the employee receives a discount which I believe should be extended to an employees spouse as well. The pre tour video raved about our customers but didn’t mention those whom work day in and day out to build what our customers buy. All in all a nice place to visit. Parking is free in the underground parking area with elevators available as well.

Visitors from around the world come to Peoria because of Caterpillar and this is the place where they can get an idea of what Cat does, all in a fun and family friendly environment.

Great for the kid to sit on and check out equipment past and present. Displays a little wordy and deep. videos were all feel good about CAT stuff. a power show is a better deal if you can get into one. Great place to take visiting engineers of any sort

We thoroughly enjoyed our visit. The huge 797 mining truck was most impressive. Enjoyed the simulators and seeing the other exhibits. Our little 4 year old granddaughter liked the lego room. The museum was decorated for Christmas which made it even more fun.

My father worked at Cat for 42 years. The place was clean and informative. I think I even spotted my father in a photo in the historical section. My father said if it was a year later, it was most likely him, but he was in the Navy the year they said the picture was from. I wonder if they got the date wrong. There are some pretty amazing machines to climb in, and there are simulators so you can try your hand at bulldozing and digging. The films are sometimes quaint but gave a lot of information about the history of the company. I was skeptical about going there, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Sitting in a huge earth mover where the dump bed has been converted into a video room is pretty cool. Otherwise, I felt like I was at a new employee orientation with so much customer service and logistic successes on display. CAT makes heavy equipment and huge engines to support them. The engines are used in heavy equipment, rail, marine, and generator applications.

This has many historical pictures in a time line of innovation. The movies are well worth your time. The displays are great. Very intriguing. Operating different types of equipment via a video game like setup is a plus. Great for both young and old.

If you want a hands-on and up-close experience with CAT equipment this is the place. We were so impressed both with the quality and cleanliness of the museum. A must-see in Peoria!

You pay $7 and wait in line to watch a public relations film (the vibrating seats in the theater are kind of cool, except they seem to vibrate without much relationship to what is going on in the short film, which has too many scenes of people talking) and then stand in line to sit in modern equipment or even longer lines to use a small number of fairly standard simulators. There are also a few small exhibits, but they are not very imaginatively presented and are obviously geared towards customers. It's not a big place.

We found metered parking on the street at the Caterpillar Visitor Center -- the spots at the far end accepted coins. The friendly volunteers inside were helpful with both information and photos. The video, displays, simulators, and large machinery were certainly worth the stop. The small fee is reasonable. Allow 1 1/2 - 2 hours.

The Riverfront Museum is next door. A short walk down to the river yields a view of the Spirit of Peoria.

The Simulated heavy equipment games were my absolute favorite! The history of Caterpillar is an awesome read! Plenty of mini-movies to enlighten you and provide a place to rest for a bit. The gift shop is not overly expensive at all! Got an excellent quality T-shirt for about $15. I took my parents who are in their 80's and my son who is in his late 20's. Both of them enjoyed the experience immensely.

Nice place to spend a few hours learning about this 100+ year old company and its iconic fleet of machinery. Very good intro film about the history of the company. Interesting exhibits. The design of the center is logical and well thought out so you do not "miss" anything. Very cool simulators and the opportunity to sit in the cabs of some of the machinery. Enjoyable and much to do and see for everyone from young kids to older adults. Well-stocked company store with all sorts of Cat merchandise, too. Our visit was approximately 2 hours. I think 2-3 hours is a good amount of time to allocate for a visit here.

While visiting Peoria Riverfront Museum, we usually try to visit Caterpillar. The visitor center changes displays often and my children love the big machines.

Self-guided tours show the history and development of Caterpillar company and products. It is an impressive array of equipment. Male and female, young and old can't help but be impressed. Many types of media help captivate visitors.

The visitors center is geared as a big commercial for CAT, but is so well done as to not come off that way. It was interesting to see the variety of CAT products being used all over the world.
One of the films in the center describes one of the reason's for the center was for CAT employees and retirees to be able to show friends and family what they do/did at CAT.
Employees can see finished products up close, as many may only work on a sub assembly and never get to see the finished work in person.
There were a few interactive simulators for people to try their hand at operating a backhoe or bulldozer. It isn't easy to learn in just a few minutes.
We particularly enjoyed a short film about the company's female softball team that was quite famous at the time.
The docents were very friendly and knowledgeable on the displays and company history. I imagine all of the were CAT employees at one time.

The gift shop is huge and has virtually anything that CAT can put a logo on. Since it is also an employee company store, most of the items were very nice and of good quality.

Some reviewers have squawked about the admission price, but it is well worth the $7.

After visiting, I walked out very impressed by Caterpillar. The visitor's center was very fascinating and everyone was so nice. The kids had a great time climbing the equipment. This is a must see in the area and the location is great.

We took our grandson to the Visitor's Center to see the machines his Great Grandpa used to help build. He has such a great time! There were several big pieces of machinery to climb in and pretend to drive. There was also several interactive displays where you could practice using a backhoe, etc. When you first arrived, there is an informative movie, which you watch in the back of a 797 mining vehicle. There is an elevator for those who can't navigate the stairs, and everyone was very helpful. Lots of history for those who like that kind of stuff too. I'd say go and enjoy a fun and informative afternoon!

Very good place to see and to learn the history of the Caterpillar machine. Very good simulators with some of the machine and fun to learn how they work. Good for all ages.

After having a lot of difficulty trying to figure out where to park (we did see a lot of instructive signs for visitors), we entered the center around mid-morning. Basically the center is a split between serving the public, and potential national and international customers with a lot of information touting Caterpillar's capabilities. The guides and people working there were very friendly and helpful in learning about the Company. We recommend the tour to adults who have an interest in the industry. There is an admission charge.

The Caterpillar Visitors Center is a great place to go with family or friends, you learn about the history of the great company that Caterpillar is and you get to see and sit on big and amazing machines, it's a must-go place if you are in Peoria and like to learn new history things and machinery.

We had a lot of fun going through the Caterpillar Visitors Center. The size of those machines is something that you can't comprehend until you're standing right next to them.

Kids like getting into the machines and the simulators, is nice to see all the equipment and is really a most due if your in the Peoria area

We brought our 10 year old grandson here, and together we enjoyed the working displays, getting to sit in the seats of the tractors, and try our own hands at their operation models. Sitting the bed of the world's largest mining dump truck( the theater in the museum) is amazed at it's capacity.

Excellent visit with very knowledgeable staff, a detailed description of the history of CAT and the posibility ti sir in real machines as well as drive several simulators.

Very nice place for the kids. Lots of equipment for them to play on. They have simulated equipment for you to see what it’s like to operate. The staff are very knowledgeable. Without giving to much away the dump truck is very cool.

We had a good time at the CAT Visitor's Center. It was neat to sit in the theater they built in the dump bed of a HUGE mining truck! They also had simulators we liked playing on. It takes more focus and coordination than one would imagine to control these machines.

We spent the day at the Visitors Center. Lot of history to read and learn about. All of displays were well done. Massive pieces of equipment on display most of which you can sit in. There are virtual displays where you can drive and operate the heavy equipment. This is not a factory nor a museum but a place to learn the history of the company and it's future. It's truly interesting how Caterpillar makes this massive equipment. There is no café at this site but there is a nice restaurant near by. This venue is next to the Illinois River and a pretty waterfront. Young children would probably be bored here but teens might find it interesting.

A great history of big equipment, currently they are displaying early CAT equipment, fun simulators for adults

We came and saw a film of few minutes how customers praise the company. The rest of the visit is the history of the company, and few tractors exhibited. I think that you can see them in any tractors dealer without film-wasting -time.
The shop exhibit some clothes and hats, high prices,

Have gone to different exibits here. Always good! Easy access and free parking. Spacious and not hard to find your way around.

This place is so amazing! You can see the history behind the company as well as old and new equipment. The showroom is impressive and the company is excellent!

I really wanted to give this experience 5 stars but unfortunately I would give it 0 if possible. After paying 7 dollars per person we expected to be able to entertain our 3 boys for more than an hour but there was only one level of things to look at and do. The first thing we heard was one of the employees literally hollering at a boy who was walking fast..not even running..toward the equipment because he was excited to see it all. The mom was right there and she could have obviously said that herself if she felt like the boy was causing trouble of any sort.. but he wasn’t.
There are displays of equipment that can be climbed in which was nice but if you have children be prepared to be hawk eyed and scowled at by the employees. My 4 year old was trying to touch the fake dirt that the equipment was sitting on and the lady said “umm, excuse me you can’t touch that.” I could appreciate that comment if this place was an art museum or something of that nature but please don’t invite the general public to your building and expect children to not be curious. I could also see her saying that if my children were running around acting crazy with no adult supervision but I was literally standing right there next to him. I was even about to touch it myself just wondering if it was real or fake.
I feel like if you are a customer wanting to purchase Caterpillar equipment this would be the right place. Between the movie and the information scattered around the displays it just felt like I was with a Caterpillar dealer having to hear them brag about the company. It felt VERY commercialized.
We originally came into this establishment excited to learn about the equipment and how it all works but sadly we walked out having a negative view of Caterpillar and the values that they stand for. I feel like they should have a sign that says “No children allowed. If you want your family to have a good time go to Moline Illinois at the John Deere Museum (for free) where you won’t feel like the employees are Nazis to anyone shorter that 4 feet.”

Its the best place to see the world class CAT machines. The staff is very helpful and knowledgeable about the different machines which are there on display.

Oh my gosh this was WAY MORE than we expected. Kids would love it for sure.

Hands on exhibits of 10 machines and a thousand pictures. The tour guides are wonderful. Retired long time employees who proudly explain EVERYTHING.

Just wife and I. But this is an amazing playground for kids..young and old.

From st louis we would love to visit again with our nephews. Well worth your time.

Wonderfully designed experience to see CAT’s history over time! The museum offers an interactive walk through CAT history with pictures, timelines, videos and technology. The emphasis as people from employees to customers to leaders is excellent. The introductory video is great. It’s great to have the opportunity to climb around some tractors and play on the simulators. This museums plays CAT very well in Peoria!

My husband and I took a day trip to Peoria and decided visiting the visitor center would be fun, we were right! You were ushered into a screening room where you watch a film about the company and if you're lucky, you'll get a docent who is a retiree to tell you some of his or her experiences with the company. There are several wow moments in the center which I won't speak to much about as I wouldn't want to spoil the fun. Great place for small children and even teenagers would enjoy it as there are exhibits that are Hands-On for all ages. The school Center is next door to the Peoria Riverfront Museum which is also worth a visit

Took the grandsons for a visit to see the big, heavy equipment and climb on it. Even the 6-year-old liked the movie explaining caterpillar. We paid for 3 hours parking but didn't need all that time for the center. We ate lunch, walked along the river and watched a tug push a barge, watched a train go by and then had ice cream at Emack and Bolios (it's very good). And we still had time on the meter. But I'm glad we went.

Even as a woman, I found the Visitor's Center to be VERY interesting and informative. Caterpillar was able to take a business that tends to be very male and make it fascinating to every viewer. From the moment you start your tour inside of replica of the largest piece of heavy equipment in the world (where you watch a short and very well done film) and all the way to the finish, everything was top notch, with plenty to touch, look at, examine, and learn. Well done, Caterpillar!!

Lots of good and informative exhibits about Caterpillar's history and what they do now. Climb into the cab of a tractor. Drive a simulator. Several good videos.

This is a nice place to tour, especially if Cat is a part of your family history. Free parking and I believe kids enter free. You have to keep an eye on your kids here. There is heavy equipment where kids can get hurt. The staff is mostly retired folks telling kids to stop running.

The Caterpillar Visitors Center was a great place to kill some time on a cold day, and by the way made me really appreciate the accomplishments of this foundational American company. Informative exhibits without being too technical, and the whole place reflects the pride the company rightfully has in its products.

I went to see a movie. The theater was nice - nothing spectacular. The ticket/vending area was a bit dirty, not impressed.

Showed a tremendous variety of the caterpillar equipment line in such a small space would recommend it to anyone with the Curiosity about heavy equipment

I expected a tour of the factory, what I got was a museum. Some good displays. Here is the blog post we wrote about our visit.

This is one of the best visitor centers I have ever been to. The kids, and adults, can climb in and pretend to control the vehicles. My son spent at least 30 mins building LEGO vehicles to race down their track. There were many friendly employees stationed to answer any questions. If you have a kid, or adult, that likes big equipment, this is a must stop! They also have free covered parking!

We live in town. Finally went to the visitors center. They have a movie inside a big truck. Some nice hands on things kids can do. Also you can sit inside the tractors.

Caterpillar has been receiving quite a few bad reviews lately as they seem to be pulling out of Peoria where they have been for many many years. This caterpillar Visitor Center is no different. They advertise it as something that everyone can come take a look at and enjoy, but really it is nothing more than something for customers of caterpillar to come see what caterpillar can do for them. It does have a stock car you can look at but not touch of course, and a couple of simulators that kids enjoy but is always very busy. The visit starts out with a movie that they display in the back of a large dump truck. Very clever and gives you the real idea of how big these things are. My dad works for Caterpillar for 37 years so I find this very interesting, but other people I have brought their we're not interested. Like I said, it's designed for customers coming from all of the world to see what caterpillar can do for them. I enjoyed it but if you're not from Caterpillar or have someone working at caterpillar you may not.

We have two family members who work for CAT. Visited for the second time and found it even more interesting than before. There’s a fun LEGO/robotics room for kids and all of the machines on display were decked out in holiday lights and bows. Very festive. We had four children in our group from 2-8 years old. Every staff member was very welcoming. Loved the gift shop, too. They’ve thought of everything when it comes to branded gift items. Good quality and reasonable prices.

The Caterpillar gift shop is a great place to get specialty items, Cat hats, shirts, toys, etc. There is no charge for entering the gift shop.

My son and I visited this facility on a Saturday afternoon. We considered it as kind of a time filler when we planned it but turned out to be very interesting. Both of us being in manufacturing engineering, me for over 60 years, we really appreciated the displays especially the older equipment. We talked to the company representatives and they were knowledgeable and had interesting stories as well. Highly recommend a visit if you are in the area.

Basically this is a sort of a museum which shows the history of Caterpilar and how it developed into a huge organization from its humble beginnings. Some of the heavy machinery that CAT produces are also on display here. There are also a couple of VR simulators where you can try to virtually control one of those huge earth movers. The merchandise there are mostly overpriced(IMHO). Apart from that it's a good one time visit spot. If you are there on a weekday and in Summer then do try the awesome food from various food carts near the visitor center.

It is a great place to enjoy Cat history and to be ableto check out Cat products up close. It is fantastic to beable to take visiting family and friends to the visitors center so they can learn more about the place that I make my career

Was so interesting, learning how caterpillar has grown through the years! So glad we did this tour! Very impressed!

This place was AWESOME! My boys enjoyed it! We drove from GA to see this and it was worth the drive. Highly recommend seeing this place. Everyone was nice and very knowledgeable.

The CAT visitors center feels very modern and contains a variety of interactive activities for young and old. The iMax theater is always fun. They have different featured traveling collections that rotate through about once a month. It's also affordable.

You gain a new appreciation of Caterpillar and the equipment they produce. The tour starts in the bed of the largest truck that they build. Be sure to take a picture of yourself standing in front of one of the tires so that you can be dwarfed by the size of it. The historic displays are well done and you have the chance to sit behind the wheel, or levers of actual Caterpillar machinery. There are several video simulators that allow you to test your skills at operating the equipment. I found out I make a lousy bulldozer driver. The staff are retired Caterpillar employees and offer valuable insight into not only their personal experiences during their career but adding to the history on display. A definite must see when you are passing through Peoria.

We visited here with a group from our car convention.. The first thing you see when you enter are various parts of Cat machinery. We got here after the rest of the group and the ladies at the ticket counter whisked us right into the center. there you sit in the bed of a huge dump truck for a short film. from there you can wander around the lower floor. Down there are many different machines that can be climbed into and several stations to try your hand at digging a hole, etc. There is a good history of the company and all of the docents are very friendly and knowledgeable.

Stopped with two little ones, 5 and 1 1/2. They were both a little impatient during the 10 minute informational film, but after that they had a blast.... They both loved sitting in the tractors and then Playing in the Sim's

Good fun & educational!

This is a must see for big machinery aficionados! Lots of equipment here to experience and the Caterpillar story and displays are worth the time to thoroughly enjoy. Family and disability friendly.

Visited with friends. Great exhibit showing history of Cat, and their development strides. Great interactive exhibits on how machinery operates.

I spent 2 hours here but could have spent longer. Very informative, and vey well laid out. The staff are all very enthusiastic about Caterpillar, which helps the whole ambience of this centre. If you are interested in engineering or Caterpillar machines, this is definitely a place for you to visit.

You get to see and sit in various caterpillar products, and try out simulators for excavators and bulldozers...
Fun for all ages and you learn a great dela about thr company, its history and products

An excellent experience for construction and history buffs. Interactive and multimedia displays are engaging for adults and fun for kids. As a local I like to comb the sale racks in the gift shop periodically for unique CAT-brand apparel.

We popped on in to check out what they had to offer. They start you with a movie about the company and machining. Their "theater" is inside a HUGE construction truck. It was interesting to see the pure scale of how big this truck was while learning about it. There were a lot of interactive displays and displays of trucks, cars, you name it that you could go and sit in and take pictures in. It was fun "being a kid" for a little while and learning about these things that are so far removed from our everyday jobs.

The place was huge and exiting. Completely hands on experience. The Big Yellow knows how to put it together. Would recommend to all families with young and older children.

My husband took some of his crew for some history and viewing of other pieces of equipment. We all had a great time... staff was friendly, gift shop was also great! Fun time.

We hadn’t been here before, but I wanted to take a trip and go. It’s down by the riverfront and I had no idea how much is down there

Right next door is the river front museum. We will be returning to visit there as well

A large part of this cities history is wrapped up in Caterpillar. Kids get to crawl all over the equipment. Be sure to try the simulators.

We stopped on a Wednesday afternoon in April about 3:00. Ticket sales stop at 3:30. FYI - Center closes at 5:00. Gift shop closes at 5:30. It took us about 1.5 hours to go through.

This “museum” is very well done. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. The history and background of the company is interesting. Make sure you watch the short “Panama Canal” video @ the end of the exhibits.

My 7 year old really loved climbing in the vehicles, and the simulations were fun. They were tough for both my husband and I, and my girl had no clue. However, I can see teenagers really having fun with them (or maybe more coordinated adults!!)

Stop in to the gift shop as well - huge inventory of apparel, toys, and regular gift shop type items.

I heard from a few friends that their kids love this place. Thinking back on it, I've realized those friends are CAT families.

My kids (age 10 and 4) liked climbing on the few items they were allowed to climb on, but there were a lot of displays they weren't allowed to sit in. The simulators are interesting, but way too advanced for a 4 year-old, and even the 10 year-old had trouble remembering which controls did what. The movie in the bed of the big truck wasn't what I expected. I thought it would be a virtual "ride" in the truck, but it was more just a description of where CAT is and some of the things they make.

Maybe if you have someone who works for CAT, it would be more interesting to you. I was glad we only paid $7 for our family, but I wish we could get our 3 hours of travel time back.

For adults, I’d have given a higher rating. The exhibits are interesting, the videos are informative, and it’s a cool place to spend an hour or two.

For families with young children I give 3 stars. My son loves climbing on the equipment and checking out anything and everything he can touch - unfortunately they’re somewhat limited in that department. We’ve been several times and he always enjoys it but there are typically only 3 pieces of equipment in the main area so it can get crowded pretty quickly and makes for a short visit given the $10 admission for adults.

I hate to say it, we are very much a Caterpillar family, but the John Deere visitors center in the quad cities is a lot better for families with kids. Tons of equipment for climbing including a huge combine, a number of other “touch me” exhibits aimed at kids, and as a bonus admission is free.

Overall rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Time required:
1) One hour to rush through all exhibits and perhaps try one simulation, watched a couple of videos, and took some photos.
2) 2-3 hours is perhaps adequate for most visitors.
3) To look at everything thoroughly without rushing, you will need 5-6 hours.

Parking:
1) Street parking on Main St next to the museum but must either pay via App or phone.
2) There is an underground parking right underneath the visitor center where you will enter from Water St.

What I liked:
1) clean and organized facility from restrooms, lobby, gift shops, to exhibition floors.
2) Mid-size museum that's cover pretty much everything you should know about Caterpillar as a general public. You can confidently walk away with new knowledges and learning experiences from this visit.
3) Has variety in how information is communicated: hands on/do it yourself experience, touchscreen learning, to old fashion museum-like exhibits.
4) Most video clips they have are about 30 seconds to 2 minute long, which is great, and you can choose whatever topics that interests you the most or read them all! The amount of info each video clip provided is adequate.
5) They have staff on the floor to answer questions
6) There is at least one elevator available
7) Hand sanitizer readily available throughout the museum
8) Multiple live-sized Caterpillar equipment and parts

What they can do better:
1) Video clips inside the "Caterpillar Jobsite Theater" was malfunctioning, some were missing, and some were repetitive.
2) The water faucet in the restrooms were a bit harder to use.
Had these issues did not happen, this museum would have earned a 5 out of 5 rating.

Additional Info:
1) It's NOT free, please check the website to confirm admissions fees.
2) There isn't a cafe in the museum. There are plenty of restaurants/coffee shops nearby as it's in downtown Peoria and next to the waterfront.
3) It's right in the heart of downtown Peoria. There are other attractions nearby which you may consider. For example, there is another museum called Peoria Riverfront Museum next to it. Most people visit both. I personally haven't been there yet.

We were driving through Peoria and needed a quick break. Happened to park right in front of the CAT visitor center, so went in for a quick visit. What a nice surprise! A great display of many different heavy machinery that one can climb on. My 5 yr old girl loved it. Us parents were most impressed by the gigantic mining truck. Spent ~45 min, but could've easily stayed longer if we had more time.

It does cost $7/adult, but kids are free and parking seems to be free on weekends. Best surprise came at the end, when everyone got a gigantic Caterpillar pen! This kept daughter entertained during the long car ride that followed.

Caterpillar has meticulously displayed its rich history with help of models , simulators, videos and courteous staff. A great experience to go through the history of a great Company. A must visit place .

PROS:clean, close to downtown and the river, tractors.

CONS: $7 fee for an hour's entertainment may be steep, could be boring for some people, only 3 tractors you can sit in, the 10 min movie you see in the beginning is basically an advertisement - would have been better if it started with the history of Best tractors and how it became Caterpillar, instead it promotes their current line up only.

Save your money, if you're into tractors , visit the John Deere museum which is free, its bigger, you can sit on more tractors, it;s better in every way. You may better off checking out Peoria's historic churches. They are all pretty impressive.

We stopped to visit the Catapillar Visitor's Center - and were not disappointed. You are greeted warmly and invited into the inside of one of their mining equipment "trucks". Granted - we learned pretty quickly, the machine as not real - as the real ones are far too heavy for the floor. All very informative and plenty of Catapillar employee's on hand to discuss what is on display.

Nicely done. Love the simulators. It was fun to try to steer the excavator. It provided a little competition with your friends. All the movies were interesting and worth watching.

Great history of CAT technology and global foot print. Several machines on display for kids old and young to sit and dream. Simulators were nice touch that kids and adults loved. If you love mechanics and manufacturing this place will keep you busy for hours reading and watching videos. We spent about 1.5 hours with kids 5 and 8. After the machines and simulators they were pretty much over it. Huge gift shop. Within 3 minute walk of Riverfront Museum, planetarium, and many restaurants. We were traveling in RV and parked down street in large free public lot next to Hooters. Easy access to I74. Nice location right across from river.

We spent a nice morning at the Visitors Center. Not quite a museum....more of a showroom that you are encouraged to climb on all the "cool" macherinery. Young & Old.....

I went to the museum thinking that it would be somewhat lame. Boy was I wrong. They have real vehicles in the museum and you can get in and mess with the controls of almost all of them. They also have a replica of their largest product. Their simulators are really cool, having identical controls of the vehicles that they are simulating. The visuals are really cool, like a cross section of one of their engines. They even have a NASCAR! Great stop.

Cool stuff for kids and adults alike, including a massive three-story high truck. A wonderful gift from this outstanding company to this City.

Being able to go into the Caterpillar Museum and seeing all the large trucks and history behind the company is nice. If you have smaller children they may enjoy being able to climb up in the equipment. The large theater and surround sound was nice.

The museum is small, but my kids enjoyed trying out all of the equipment. My 6yo loved the LEGO section.

The simulators were pretty cool & even the adults in the group enjoyed it.

The lobby has a few items to view, but the grand entrance is into a theater that introduces the company - and you are told that you are sitting in the payload of a Cat mining truck. Genius. The exhibits include Cat products, their popular NASCAR sponsorship, a detailed timeline of the company history, and a couple of video games that try to teach you how to operate a CAT machine. Throughout their are CAT employees to answer your questions and generally be helpful. A first class exhibit of corporate PR. There is an admission charge.

Very interesting visitor center focused around the Caterpillar Company. If you love heavy equipment, then you'll find this stop interesting. If you don't, then skip it. There are several pieces of heavy equipment on display, including some antiques, and the simulators are a lot of fun. It's basically an one hour Company commercial, but that's okay. There's also a nice sized gift shop on premises.

We'd never really though much about heavy construction equipment, but they made the history of the company really interesting for us anyway. The main introduction was inside a monster truck that they were highlighting, and I didn't really appreciate how big it was until we got down onto the exhibit floor. After the introduction, the exhibit floor had antiques, history, simulators and videos. I particularly enjoyed a story about the Tuskegee airmen. But now I have a greater appreciation for the company, which is more geared towards construction than farming.

It is very interesting to see the giant truck when you first walk in. I think that it is great display of Caterpillar history!

As Peorians, we visit this museum often with out-of-town guests and we learn something new every time. We are transplants, so learning more about the CAT culture never gets old. The museum has something for everyone, young and old. Lots of hands-on exhibits, history and just plain fun.

We stopped here on our trip from E Moline> Bloomington, parking in the garage below the museum, free for a 4 hour visit to this and the connected Peoria Museum. Up the elevator($12 for 2 seniors), then joining others for a 15 minute film on the company's history. Engaging docents were helpful in answering questions as we climbed aboard the dozers, excavator and trainers, then encircled the exhibit halls watching videos explaining the assembly and use of their bright yellow industrial equipment. This impressive company is in 190 countries and employs 113,000 people.

Company from the 1920's that was the cornerstone of Peoria, a busted company that has been lying to its investors and wanted to move it all to Chicago. Idiots got busted for hiding profits over 13 years now going to go like Enron. Good riddance.

I've always had a thing for Cat equipment, finally visited the museum. What a great place. Not only the history of Cat, but kind of the history of manufacturing and heavy construction in the US. I highly recommend the tour. The only negative I saw was the gift shop didn't really have any great models of Cat equipment for sale. I collect old toys and a new highly detailed CAT would have been nice to pickup.

I stopped in late June just after they opened on a Thursday. There were only about ten other people in there at the time. The staff were volunteers that used to work for the company. The were very helpful and answered all of my questions. They also took photos of me with some of the displays (I was on a solo trip). The facility was very clean and the underground parking was easy. I missed the sign for parking on the south side of the building but circled back and found it. Take the elevator up to the visitor center. There is a lot to see here. The equipment on display is the main attraction but there are many other displays and a lot of information about the company, past and present. I think you would need all day to read everything. I enjoyed the "virtual bulldozer" kiosk...it was very realistic and I could "virtually" push dirt around all day long. Too bad the Caterpillar assembly plant does not offer tours.

We visited on a hot August day. It was nice and cool inside. It's in a great location downtown on the river. Plenty of parking around. There is an excellent walk through area which brings you through the company's history and engineering accomplishments. I enjoyed the sections on how they test and bring a piece of equipment to the market. The mock up of their biggest truck was impressive.

Interesting views of the Caterpillar company in the past till today and the vast work it does all over the world . View history inside an actual giant size machine then hands on with a vertual bucket loader machine . Fun for kids and wrinkle's

We stopped by on a trip around central Illinois at the suggestion of a friend who works for CAT. It was VERY well done. They also had some great retirees who worked there and told interesting stories. You could tell how proud they were to work there. Our 7 year old son loved getting to sit in the vehicles and do simulators using actual controls. It took about 1.5 hours but could take longer if you read more. Excellent!

It's free for Cat employees, so at least there's that (I was shocked, I figured big Yellow would charge everyone). Then, you're escorted in and you have to watch a short movie about Caterpillar which is uninteresting to say the least. The displays are pretty boring-lots of standing in one place and just reading information. Not very interesting except to maybe a Cat employee who works on the machine the information is concerning. There are interactive machines which is kinda fun, but not worth the price of admission. Snooze fest, in my opinion.

Since Peoria is home to Caterpiller I decided to go see their Museum. Well worth the time. I didn't know how big and world wide Caterpiller is. If you like construction or have a child who is you and they would enjoy the time. Also has memorabilia from CAT racing. General admission for adults is $7, dollar off if over 55 and another dollar if a veteran.

One of the best corporate visitor centers we've been to. Great displays on the history of Caterpillar - with the typical horn-tooting about their greatness :)

Two things stood out to me - the actual earth-moving equipment you could sit in (which was inside the building - a great feature on a cold day), and the computer simulators that allowed you to try using the equipment. Makes one appreciate the folks who do this for a living :)

Highly recommend - and, for those interested, the free parking garage has two spaces for Level 2 electric car charging!

Not a truck person but thought there was a lot to see and do. The best part was sitting in the box of the big UKe truck. Also loved the antique display. I think they should make it a permanent display.

So interesting to see all the history of Caterpillar and their products! The 797F Mining Truck is a must see!!! Huge!!! Fascinating, and interactive simulators are a must do!

This is a very nice, albeit not a huge, visitor center/museum for Caterpillar. It's a great experience to see the history of this great American company as well as some of their modern equipment as well. Very nice gift shop as well.

I took a friend from Canada and we both thoroughly enjoyed looking at all the different objects to purchase.

My kids loved this place. They can climb on the tractors, diggers, and dump trucks. They had a blast and it's close to the river. After we played there for 2 hours we took a walk near the water and ate lunch near there. Was a great place for a short trip. The gift store was great too. Awesome gifts for children.

This was a great experience! Kids getting to sit in the equipment, playing on the simulators, and watching the video that rumbled the seats like you were really in a huge rock truck!

I took 4 year old twin boys to the Caterpillar museum today. It was cold and rainy and none of us has ever been to this location before. Because of the weather, I wondered about close parking but, was delighted to find underground parking available (with direct access to the museum) for .50 cents an hour. Everything involved (parking, bathrooms, museum, etc) presents as a very tidy facility. The 10 minute movie inside a mining truck (with vibrating seats) can keep even the most twitchy of the troops reasonably entertained. Most of the tractors on the floor display are available for visitors to climb up inside and sit in the seats, put their hands to the wheel, push buttons and imagine what it could do, if it would do. For those who like a little more action at their finger tips, there is an area with simulators that mimic your skills (or, lack there of). More historical stuff too but, to a 4 year old... Both the boys would like to return, however, I'm guessing it's a good one-time visit for older kids. Kids under 12 are FREE! Adults are $7.

Enjoyed the Caterpillar Visitor Center with my family and friends. We enjoyed having such a great place to visit here locally.

I really enjoyed my visit to the Cat visitors center I have worked at several facilities and it was very interesting to see how the stuff was displayed and the machinery up close.

This was a GREAT place to visit. We did have had kids, but kids would LOVE being able to get on the big equipment.

This is a fascinating museum and explanation of Caterpillar Production and history. All of the employees were very nice, but Norman knocked it out of the park with personal stories and behind the scene histories of the corporation. There is a parking deck behind the entrance instead of on the street parking. Plan on a minimum of 2 and half hours to enjoy the exhibits.

I took a good friend here for his birthday on a Monday. He uses some of this equipment doing one of his side jobs. I knew he would love it but I was surprised I enjoyed it too. I think most of it was because there were very few people around and I was able to hear all of the videos and have a seat to watch them when available. We were able to take our time wandering around. The staff present were able to answer questions and had fun stories about the equipment. Climbing into the equipment really gave you perspective on how large and complex they really are. The simulators were fun and everything was very clean. We were there for about 2 hours. Nice photo ops too.

Great introduction to the Caterpillar history, research and development beginning in San Leandro California with the Holt and Best Tractor companies through the current international heavy equipment providing electrical generation, railroad locomotives, construction equipment, etc. There are interactive activities reflecting use of equipment as well as scientific details leading to the current products, some appropriate for children with an interest in technology, engineering, science, math (STEM). Though obviously a place for the company to highlight itself, it also provides good understanding of the evolution of the various facets of Cat's world. Easy access near the Peoria Riverfront.

I am glad I stopped here, it was an interesting bit of history of the evolution of heavy duty machinery. It was very up to date and the exhibits were well done.

The gentleman that was in charge of movie area was very informative. The little kids loved climbing into the Caterpillar vehicles. There is a lot of information to read about too. A great and inexpensive way to spend a couple of hours.

We were in Moline for the weekend and thought we would drive to Peoria and visit the Caterpillar Center. It is a $7 per person entry fee. There is a lot of interesting machines from new to old to explore. Lots of history from the whole caterpillar company. There is the world largest mining truck inside made from other materials than metal. But looks like the real thing. If you are in the area and have kids, and like Caterpillar machines this is the place to stop. Lots to learn and the tour guides are very knowledgeable. You want to give yourself about 2 hours to visit. Make sure you stop and check out the gift store on your way out.

Quick weekend trip with family. Pretty awesome displays. Lots for kids to look at. Had to watch a video about the company prior to entering the museum. We were greater by a lady that yelled at the kids. It would’ve been a little better if she asked parents to reprimand them instead. It’s a pretty exciting place for kids and not such a good way to be greeted. Anyway the place is clean and nice. Right on the riverfront. Beautiful area. Great displays with a souvenir store attached. They even give a military discount. We all enjoyed it.

CATERPILLAR Visitor Center....all good educated material regarding the history of Caterpillar. WOnderful Accessory shop,,,hats-T shirts-Models of equipment...too much to write up! :). If in Peoria.....you must go and take the time to visit teh CAT Visitors Center!! Highly recommended and close to waterfront and downtown Peoria!

This is a good place to take the kids. They have several machines on display for the kids to sit it and play with the controls. They have a huge mining truck on display. Several driving games available and a large souvenir store. There is a timeline and museum to learn more information about Caterpillar in Peoria.

If you are a fan of heavy equipment, this place is a must! You begin the visit by watching a video inside the theater built on the dump body of the truck, not kidding, its that big! The museum has a good collection of iconic Cat equipment plus history of how Cat grew from a tractor only company serving only agriculture industry to current company that touches every industry you can think of from marine to mining. There are interactive operator simulators which you can operate a virtual Cat equipment such as excavators and other Cat machines. Many photo ops for young and old. Great place to spend two to three hours.

Caterpillar’s visitor center is an extremely nice facility. There were a few items that children could interact on, but this is geared more for middle school on up for educational purposes. The staff were extremely friendly and knowledgeable.

I found this center interesting. I knew little about Cats world wide operations until I visited. I would definitely recommend a visit

Loved it. We went with our daughter in laws father, who lives inPeoria but has never visited. Our son works for Cat as does his wife so we wanted to have a little look at the history of Cat. Great place to visit, very visitor friendly. Starts off with an overview of Cat while you are "virtually" sitting inside one of the biggest machines in the world. Awesome. Once inside the centre you are free to roam around wherever you wish. Ed (father in law) and Stuart (husband) were like little boys with big toys. They wanted to play with all the machines where you can actually "drive" a digger or any other type of machine. They were there forever. Luckily for me ther were various videos running showing not only the history of cat but some of the future land. I had a great tome and know the boys did too

Absolutely awesome! The displays of equipment were unbelievable! Interactive equipment for anyone to try and operate! Truly fascinating! Grandkids were very excited! Highly recommend this to anyone!

This was a fun 1 1/2 hours for my son, his friend and grandson (age 3). They looked at the displays but were more interested in climbing on the actual equipment and kick the tires!

We've had the Caterpillar Visitor Center on our list of things to see for awhile and finally were in the area so that we could stop to see it. The center was pretty cool. It was very interesting to see the impact Caterpillar has throughout the world and what they have to offer. It was very creative how they took a replica of one of their mega sized dump trucks and made it into a movie room.

There is a tiered entrance fee. The tour starts with a full scale replica of the biggest dump truck that caterpillar makes. You enter the bed of the truck to sit for a short movie on caterpillar. The chairs have vibrators built in to simulate riding in a truck. Several questions were answered here. You then go downstairs to go through interactive exhibits that show the history and development of caterpillar. I liked driving the bulldozer in the simulated exhibit the best. The backhoe I had trouble empting the shovel. My wife didn't enjoy the tour much. The staff working there were really nice and even had other suggestions on what to see in and around Peoria.

My nephew works at CAT and we went over to the Visitors Center on one of our trips to the area. It is just amazing how big some of this equipment is. It is also very interesting to see the history of CAT and where they started, what type of equipment they first built and where they have come today. A must stop if you are in the area.

Came with our friends who live in the area. The big 797 is the best attraction. I would go just to see that.
There were a few other machines to see and some history and information to read about. My husband enjoyed the simulators where he could pick up and move rocks and dirt. Such a boy.
There is a small gift shop to walk through. I bought a little toy truck to make into an ornament for our Christmas tree since they didn't have anything like that available.

Actually, we visited in 2019. I took two grandsons. They had a great time. We sat in the mockup of the 797 bed to watch the video. It was very interesting. They operated the simulators and had a great time (the excavator). Yes, they were advertising product; but what company doesn't at their own visitor center. I work for Cat at the time; and retired from Caterpillar 2 years later. The video was accurate, the simulation was accurate. I recommend a visit for both residents of Peoria and visitors from elsewhere. It was an enjoyable day for the boys, and the admission price was super cheap.

This place was an ok attraction to see. There is a $6 per person admission for those 55 and over (that's us). Some of the displays and videos were interesting. I particularly enjoyed those about the manufacturing and assembly of their machinery, like the time lapse video of their 400 ton capacity 797F mining truck. I did not like as much of the presentations that came off more as a corporate recruiting or sales type statement, though they do have employees and retirees come through here. At times, one admittedly does wonder why an admission is needed as some of the visitor center does seem more about corporate advertising. Overall though, the place is worth seeing and provided an excuse for us to make the 2.5 hour drive to Peoria for a day trip.

We stopped in because my wife's uncle worked for CAT for 30 years. All of the staff is very friendly and knowledgeable. You start by watching a movie in the bed of the 797, I believe it holds 69 people.

The history of CAT was very interesting. The displays are well laid out and there are several interacting displays/simulators for the kids.

The gift shop has plenty to look at and toys to buy. It is a tad pricey.

Great stop, took about 3 hours. Kids wished there was more things to climb on but there was an excavator and a backhoe. And free digger simulations. Worth the time if you are driving by and need to stretch your legs.

I wish I could give this place 10 stars!
Exceptional value! Super friendly and knowledgeable staff. Eager to answers questions and give great insight about everything Caterpillar.
We took a 14 year old girl and a 2 yr old boy. Both loved it and were sad when it was time to leave.
We will definitely go again.

We took our 2 year old grandson for a Saturday visit, what a great time. The introductory movie is fast pace enough to hold our young child’s attention, and interesting enough for adults. There are a lot of tractors and construction vehicles to climb on, and some interactive games that help children understand the work that’s done by this equipment. Both entertaining and educational for all ages. If you’re in the Peoria area, I highly recommend this as an attraction. Well worth the entrance fee!

I wasn't sure what to expect, and was somewhat surprised at the $7 entrance fee for my husband and I, but the 3 kids were free, so it wasn't a huge deal. I'm not entirely sure who the center is aimed at, but it was neat to see the big trucks up close. The simulators were cool, and my kids enjoyed the several trucks they could climb on. There were a few interactive things we enjoyed, and overall I am glad we stopped. If you are interested in some history of Caterpillar, and seeing new trucks, definitely stop, but don't expect kids to be entertained for too long.

We visit a lot of museums as we travel across the country. This museum will take no more than two hours to review. I believe that if you worked for the company or were in the construction business you would find it much more interesting. There are several simulators that allow you to use to see how to operate various machinery. Children especially like this. There is a lot of information on the various countries that caterpillar is located in. Men will like this museum better!

Probably more than you want to know about Caterpillar, but interesting. Well made films to see as you walk in, and also later in the "tour" (it's not actually a tour, you walk through the exhibits). The simulators are terrific. You get to operate two or three different machines... digging, pushing dirt, etc. Fun and educational. All ages can try. You get to sit in very large machines that look like jets inside with all the buttons and dials. All in all worth a couple of hours. $9, I think.

There is a good reason why children are free. This is really a place for adults who are interested in Caterpillar.

If you visit Peoria and should visit Caterpillar Visitor Center with historical & new Cat models and with next building we can buy Cat products in a Cat Store.

This is a great visitors center! Plenty of stuff to see and do for all ages from little ones to us old people!

Wonderful ride on the largest tipper truck, Caterpillar 797. Friendly and ever helpful staff to assist and show you around.
The simulator is great and fun, experiencing the operation of an excavator and the bulldozer.

We made the trip from Chicago to Peoria mainly to go to the Caterpillar Visitors Center. ( We have a 3 year old that LOVES construction vehicles.) As mentioned in other reviews, the center caters to present and former CAT employees, but a 3 year old isn't bothered by that too much.

Children and adults are allowed to climb into the driver seats of the machines (bulldozer, roller, front end loader, etc.) and there are simulators to try out as well, once you wait your turn. There are exhibits that looked well done, along with three mini theaters to learn about CAT and it's history and impact on the community and the world. We didn't get to take too much of that in with the little ones in tow, but it looked worth the time if you have it.

There is also a cute cutout that you or others can stick there head in the slot and it looks like one is driving a CAT truck. The gift shop had a variety of items for machine lovers and CAT employees, and of course was a little pricey, but along the lines of a gift shop.

And, it is worth a mention, the cleanest bathrooms in Peoria are probably in this place.

Be sure to check the website for hours of operation. They are closed on Sundays and most holidays. Peoria's downtown was pretty dead on a Labor Day Saturday, so we were a little nervous when we were walking up to the entrance and it seemed empty.

We found street parking, but the website mentions other options for parking as well.

It is worth the trip if you or someone you know loves construction vehicles! Our little guy did not want to leave!

We had some time before we had to be at the Civic Center , my husband is retired from CAT and thought it would be intersting to visit. It was very interesting and if you have any questions there are plenty of volunteers to offer assistance by explaining about the product. We were there on a Saturday and there were many kids running around, I think if we go back again we will go on a weekday, when we can get a better look at all the CAT's without being run over by children. Children were having a great time tho, which is great.

Great intro film and PR speaker, had a blast on the simulator ditch digger, and many kodak moments with the big rigs, and huge tires.

I expected a little more history of caterpillar while I was there. Considering this is where it all started I kind of wanted to see what it was like in the beginning. There is very little of that. Instead a lot of interactive things. Kids really enjoyed the hands on.

Took grown kids and great grandkids. Something for everyone. Showcasing Cat equipment and history. Kids love climbing in equipment and operating simulators.

A place where converge modernity and history. The iconic company from Peoria Il. (CATERPILLAR Inc), show the essence of his products success.

It was the men who wanted to visit here however I found it very interesting and learned so much. Definitely worth a visit if. you're in Peoria.

We brought our 3 small children aged 3, 4, and 5 this weekend to this center. They are a LITTLE young for it but did enjoy. The staff is sooooo nice and helpful. We were impressed how clean the place is as well. We will go again in the future.

Enjoyed our visit to the Caterpillar Visitors center. Traces history of caterpillar tractors and highlights all the way they are used today all over the world. Very educational. Staff is friendly and informative. a number of short movies are available. Lots of equipment on display. Kids would love this place!

it's not my 1st visit but always like to back there - maybe even Cat will invest a bit more and enlarge the building and allow for a bit more "touch & feel"

797 off road mining truck make outstanding feeling how actually small we are compared to such equipment working out there..

Incredible Museum about the history of Caterpillar products. Really enjoyed the exhibits and videos. Very friendly staff and Knowledgeable. What made my visit so great was the extra factory tour. Our guide Ryan was great to talk with and very friendly.

We spent about 2 hours looking and trying out all of the exhibits. My son loves all things CAT, so he was really into it. My husband and I, although not into it as much as our son, really enjoyed it too. Nice people, great exhibits and easy to get to. If you are ever near Peoria, IL, check it out. Also, a shout out to Ken G (one of the CAT retirees who are around to answer any questions)-we enjoyed meeting him and listening to the stories that he told us! :o)

A good stopping point for people of all ages. Friendly, helpful staff are around to explain things to visitors. Very good displays. Good gift store for CAT branded items.

We had hoped to visit this place due to its location in the company's headquarters.Unfortunately, like so many places, it was a covid casualty with no open date available when we were there.

If you meet Ken you will have an experience you will not forget. He should write a book with all the stories he has about the Caterpillar company.

small museum that was definitely not worth the money, looked more like a showroom with sales people than a museum

As a CAT employee and ex resident of peoria, it's great to see this addition to downtown. The staff were very engaging, friendly and helpful, especially the retirees Ken, Roger and Dean.

If you have a child who loves big trucks, tractors, and machines, they will enjoy this museum. Also those who have worked for CAT, or who have relatives who work(ed) there will find the exhibits interesting. My six-year-old loved climbing in and out of the different machines and exploring their mechanics. My dad, who worked there 35 years ago, enjoyed seeing the older machines and parts, as well as how CAT operates today. The entrance fee is as bit high if you have a bunch of fairy princess girly girls who aren't into big machines. In that case, I'd stick to the Riverfront Museum next door.

We have taken our 2 grandsons (5 and 3) a couple of time now and they love climbing on the equipment and looking at the displays. The beginning movie was interesting as well as entertaining. Good place to spend an hour or so.

It costs $6 for each senior but it is worth every penny. You watch a film that explains how Cat works world wide. The film is inside the box of a big 797B mining dump truck. Then you go downstairs on the main floor to see more exhibits and then sit in the various machines and then you can sit in one of several machines simulators. There are lots of big TV screens with videos to explain the assembly of machines and the applications. There are exhibits of the various big construction projects built with the Cat equipment.

Did the tour at Caterpiller info victor centre, good to see size and how many places use
The engine or whose equipment. It is close to the river front museum where we also went to see a 3 D
Movie on monarch butterflies.
Parking is paid for at centre and glad there was a big lot as we felt garage was not for public use.

The entrance is into a theater built into the bed of a huge off-highway truck - amazing! The staff is very engaged and friendly. Overall- good exhibits.

Tells history of the company. Informative exhibits. Equipment that can be climbed on, simulation areas - you can drive a piece of the equipment. My husband is a retiree so not charged an admission fee. Children have a great time. You can spend as much time as you want.

This is a great place for adults and children. The films are interesting and the hands on driving experience is fun for all. Standing next to some of the huge equipment in use today is an amazing experience.

Decided to Visit before leaving town the next morning and very glad we did. Well laid out displays and super friendly and helpful staff. The center offers several nice videos with stories of CAT history. Gift shop prices very reasonake-bought a T-shirt. Definitely a MAGA inspiration stop.

Came here to see my company's exhibits. Had a good time. Lots of things to do for adults, a few cool photo ops for kids. Where else can you get inside and play on such large equipment? If you like History and machines then you will be happy.

Very well done, staff is very nice. The hands on simulators are a plus. Doesn't take long to tour. Oh...retirees and employees get in free.

Several pieces of equipment on display---bigger is best. Opening video in their theater is pretty interesting. Downstairs there was driving simulation of equipment which seemed popular with the men. This may be the highlight of our whole trip for my husband. Cat thinks pretty highly of the items in their merchandise store so we didn't take anything home with us. You can get up in the operator's chair on some of the equipment. May not be a good museum for children. CAT needs to follow John Deere's example in their showroom and put a play area for kids to move dirt with their toy Cats.

My husband and I visited this museum when business took us to Peoria. We happened upon it while walking and photographing the sculptures in town. We owned many pieces of Caterpillar equipment in the past when we operated a composting facility, so we enjoyed learning more about the company and its equipment. The staff and volunteers at the museum were very knowledgeable and helpful, which really added to our experience.

If you like (or love) HUGE equipment, go here. OMG, standing under the 797 dump truck is amazing. Not a big place but BIG equipment. Well worth the visit. Don;t skip the opening movie in the 797 truck bed, it's very well done.