Visit Pontiac Illinois

Welcome to Pontiac, Illinois!

Road Yacht

Murals on main street

Pontiac is home to 26 outdoor murals which, in addition to being beautiful pieces of public art, depict its varied local history. Most of the murals can be seen from your car, however, a walking tour is the best way to see the many details.

Get Your Kicks

The Americana charm of the Mother Road and the storied bygone days of our great nation abound at the Pontiac Museum Complex where visitors can learn about Route 66, U.S. Armed Forces history in Livingston County, and more. The Pontiac Oakland Automobile Museum and the Musuem of the Gilding Arts are located just one block away from the complex. The Vermillion River winds through out town, framing several beautiful public parks, where the Vermillion Players present live theatrical entertainment during the summer.

**Bob Waldmire’s Road Yacht is currently off-site and not available for tours. Once construction on Centennial Plaza is completed in the summer of 2026, the bus will return to its home in the plaza.**

Attractions

Murals on Main Street

Pontiac is home to 26 outdoor murals which, in addition to being beautiful pieces of public art, depict its varied local history. Most of the murals can be seen from your car, however, a walking tour is the best way to see the many details.

The largest, and first mural is the Route 66 shield found on the back of the Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum. At its base are bricks from the original Route 66 alignment running through Pontiac and it is the perfect backdrop for a photo of your Route 66 journey. Pontiac hosted a Walldog Meet in 2009 when over 150 artists painted 18 murals in 4 days.

Check out our cool murals!

See All the Murals!

Pontiac Museum Complex

Located in the former Pontiac City Hall and Fire Station, the Pontiac Museum Complex houses 2 museums, 6 exhibits, and a fantastic gift shop to grab your souvenirs.

The Route 66 Association of Illinois Hall of Fame and Museum is the repository for thousands of pieces of historic memorabilia from the glory days of the Mother Road.

Learn the history of Route 66 in Illinois, see images of the road’s wonderful history, and hear a few great stories about life in America when Route 66 was the most important highway in the nation. Travel from the start sign in downtown Chicago to the Chain of Rocks bridge just by exploring the display cases. Learn about the people and places that made Illinois Route 66  and are Hall of Fame members.

The Livingston County War Museum is ran completely by veteran volunteers and features uniforms of area soldiers, memorabilia, and artifacts from conflicts.

The complex also houses a Route 66 Photo Journey by acclaimed photographer Efren Lopez, The Bob Waldmire Experience, Life in the 40’s, Life on the Titanic, Walldog Mural and Sign Art Exhibit, and the Lincoln Era Room.

Get your kicks here!

Pontiac-Oakland Automobile Museum

Come see one of the world’s greatest collections of Pontiac and Oakland automobile brand items! Displays change often, so even if you have visited once, things will have changed for your next visit.
The museum features antique and classic cars, and lots of automotive artifacts.  The Resource Center Library has several thousand old highway maps, sales brochures, original design drawings, and service and owner’s manuals. If it was printed about the Pontiac or Oakland auto brand, chances are you can find it here.
A shared namesake

Museum of the Gilding Arts

Founded by the Society of Gilders, the Museum of the Gilding Arts focuses on the history, craft, and use of gold and silver leaf in architecture and in decoration oughout a history that dates back to the days of the ancient Pharaohs of Egypt.
There are examples of gold and silver leaf, artifacts used in the application of the precious metal leaf, and displays showing how leaf was manufactured.  
The museum features a recreation of The M. Swift and Sons Company that manufactured gold leaf in Hartford, CT, and began its operations in 1887.  
experience the golden age

Looking for Lincoln

Pontiac’s historic connections to Abraham Lincoln date back to Lincoln’s early days as a young lawyer traveling the 8th Judicial Circuit. Lincoln made numerous visits to Pontiac, from his days as a humble prairie lawyer until his voyage on his funeral train to his final resting place in Springfield in April 1865.

Walk where abe walked

Pontiac's Swinging Bridges

The three charming and unique swinging bridges cross the Vermilion River and are beloved by locals and visitors alike.  Two of these pedestrian bridges were originally built in the 1890s to give factory workers an easier way to get to work on the north side of town. The third was built for aesthetics in the 1970s and all three are now the best way to get views of the Vermilion and explore Pontiac’s parks. Although the wooden walkways on the bridges have been replaced many times, the ironwork on the bridges is original.   
stroll across the river

New for 2026- Centennial Plaza

Centennial Plaza is a one-of-a-kind space celebrating the 100th anniversary of the historic Mother Road, Route 66! Anticipated to open in the summer of 2026, the new plaza will be behind the historic Museum Complex—right where the iconic Route 66 Shield Mural and Bob Waldmire’s Road Yacht is located. Click the link below to learn more about this exciting upcoming project!

Featured Events

Pontiac is host to many fun events throughout the year. From car shows to concerts we have something for everyone. Visit our events page for more information on submitting your own events.

Events

Today

List of events in Photo View

Our new art car is out for everyone to see! And yours could be next. 👀 We love seeing our community filled with local art to brighten up @downtownpontiacil, and Tiffany did a phenomenal job with her design!

Our art cars application is on a rolling basis. Apply today by clicking the link below: https://www.pontiac.org/DocumentCenter/View/5128/Art-Car-Call-For-Entries-2025?fbclid=IwY2xjawL1yipleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFoZllFeHF6T2JUZ1dpcklLAR468tsXP_vrkl7w8a__eyyholSxr5McjFr0mCJduzPjAcI_U5kycl0N7MziAA_aem_DNRmLd7t55p0-lt85fEC9w

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Our new art car is out for everyone to see! And yours could be next. 👀 We love seeing our community filled with local art to brighten up @downtownpontiacil, and Tiffany did a phenomenal job with her design! Our art cars application is on a rolling basis. Apply today by clicking the link below: https://www.pontiac.org/DocumentCenter/View/5128/Art-Car-Call-For-Entries-2025?fbclid=IwY2xjawL1yipleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFoZllFeHF6T2JUZ1dpcklLAR468tsXP_vrkl7w8a__eyyholSxr5McjFr0mCJduzPjAcI_U5kycl0N7MziAA_aem_DNRmLd7t55p0-lt85fEC9w
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Keep an eye out for The Big Texan iconic Bull! This giant statue is traveling with the @route66caravan through Pontiac on Wednesday, June 24th at noon. Check it out outside of The Eagle Performing Arts & Conference Center during their lunch stop, along with the caravan`s unique vehicles and vintage cars representing all 8 states. They will be making their way to Joliet, IL to take on the next Big Texan 72oz steak challenge that evening at the Old Joliet Prison.

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Keep an eye out for The Big Texan iconic Bull! This giant statue is traveling with the @route66caravan through Pontiac on Wednesday, June 24th at noon. Check it out outside of The Eagle Performing Arts & Conference Center during their lunch stop, along with the caravan's unique vehicles and vintage cars representing all 8 states. They will be making their way to Joliet, IL to take on the next Big Texan 72oz steak challenge that evening at the Old Joliet Prison.
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Exciting progress at Centennial Plaza! The steel structure is being installed this morning, and it`s great to see the vision becoming a reality. The plaza is nearing completion, and we can`t wait to welcome everyone to this beautiful new gathering space for our community!

Learn more about the plaza here: https://visitpontiac.org/events/centennial-plaza/

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Exciting progress at Centennial Plaza! The steel structure is being installed this morning, and it's great to see the vision becoming a reality. The plaza is nearing completion, and we can't wait to welcome everyone to this beautiful new gathering space for our community! Learn more about the plaza here: https://visitpontiac.org/events/centennial-plaza/
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Do you have both of your passports yet? 🌟 Pick yours up at our gift shop inside the Historic Museum Complex! Gold Centennial passports are available for $25.00 each and blue passports are $18.00 each. Don`t forget to grab a Puzzle Piece Sticker for $10.00 to complete your Gold Passport!

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Do you have both of your passports yet? 🌟 Pick yours up at our gift shop inside the Historic Museum Complex! Gold Centennial passports are available for $25.00 each and blue passports are $18.00 each. Don't forget to grab a Puzzle Piece Sticker for $10.00 to complete your Gold Passport!
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