LINCOLN, Ill. – There’s a grand opening this weekend for the new Museum of Route 66 in Lincoln.
The City’s Director of Tourism Todd McCoy says on Saturday, they’re revealing a new landmark celebrating Abraham Lincoln’s heritage, and the community’s Route 66 roots.
“Outside is this giant penny, it’s the world’s largest penny. It’s 12-foot in diameter and it’ll stand about 16 feet tall. It’s going on the side of our building…so, we’ll have a nice backdrop for a photo op,” McCoy says.
But, that won’t be the museum’s only selfie spot.
“You can sit in the Diner exhibit, you can stand in the phone booth exhibit, which is on top of City Hall. You can stand next to Ramone from “Cars”. We want people to take pictures and share it, and have an experience. They’re not just looking at artifacts, they’re having an experience of Route 66,” McCoy says.
The City of Lincoln received a $400,000 grant last year to renovate a building to house the museum, something McCoy says should have taken 3 to 4 years to complete, but they made it happen in just nine months.
The Museum of Route 66, located at 508 Broadway Street , officially opens on Saturday with a ribbon-cutting at 11 a.m., but locals have had an opportunity to check it out with a soft opening the past few weeks.
Admission for the grand opening event is free. After that, admission is expected to be $8.00 for adults and $3.00 for teens and younger children.
McCoy says once the museum opens for business, your souvenir ticket will earn you discounts around Lincoln.
The giant 12-foot by 16-foot fiberglass Lincoln penny that will hang off the side of the new Museum of Route 66 in Lincoln, Illinois. (museumofroute66.com)
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