Mendota Museums
Through a combination of outdoor exhibits and indoor displays, the Union Depot Railroad Museum is able to show guests how the railroad affected Mendota. On the grounds sits a connected train with a steam engine, dining car and caboose. Inside there are railway displays, including a map of the lines running through Mendota in the early 1900s. The museum is open from the May until September, Wednesday to Saturday from 12pm to 5pm.
The Hume-Carnegie Museum is located in a restored library, once a Carnegie library. Inside guests will find more than 100 years of local history told through photos, memorabilia, medical equipment and musical instruments. There is also a collection of Wild Bill Hickok artifacts. The museum is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 1pm to 4pm or by appointment.
Remembering the pioneers, Breaking the Prairie Museum offers guests a glimpse of farm life at the time Illinois was being settled. There are two buildings on the grounds, the Mathesius Brothers' Barn and the Country Chapel. The barn can be viewed at any time, as it has large windows surrounding it for guests to peek in. Tours of both structures can be arranged by call the Mendota Historical Society.
