Photos: Starved Rock Visitors Center unveils stunning new displays and lighting

Representatives from Ameren Transmission, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Ottawa Chamber of Commerce, and the Starved Rock Foundation Board of Directors gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, May 8, 2025 at the Starved Rock Visitors Center. The Starved Rock Foundation announced the completion of significant upgrades to the Starved Rock State Park Visitor Center, just in time for the park’s busy season. The $40,000 project includes all-new lighting installations and refreshed museum exhibits, enhancements designed to create a brighter, more welcoming space that deepens the educational and immersive experience for all who visit. In addition to the lighting improvements, several key museum panels were redesigned and replaced, offering visitors a clearerand more engaging view of the region’s past. The updated exhibits include the Transformations Wall, Early Inhabitants, Park Development and Industry, and two new panels focused on the French Settlement and Fort St. Louis. These refreshed displays provide a deeper and more dynamic understanding of the area’s heritage, from its Indigenous roots to European settlement and beyond. (Scott Anderson)