Spring break fun awaits Volo Auto Museum visitors

 

VOLO — No tropical beaches on your spring-break agenda? No sweat!

 

How about an up-close-and-personal encounter with an X-34 Landspeeder instead? Or mingling with superheroes and princesses? Or an early bird view of the Volo Auto Museum’s newest exhibit?

 

Spring break is always sunny at the Volo Auto Museum, where numerous activities are planned starting this weekend.

 

“Beginning Saturday (March 26), we are opening our unfinished Evolution of Travel and Lodging exhibit for a sneak peek,” said Brian Grams, director of the museum at 27582 Volo Village Road. “Its official opening day is Father’s Day, but we want to allow the spring break rush to get a taste of what’s to come.”

 

The new exhibit — all under roof — is the result of a nearly 2-years-long undertaking and incorporates everything from an 1895 caboose to a covered wagon, stage coach, 1920s-era roadside cabin, ’40s and ’50s pull-behind campers and even a ’70s Volkswagen bus camper.

 

Taking things from the actual past to the fictional future, “Star Wars” fans will adore a sneak peek of their own distinction. The museum’s recently acquired Landspeeder shows how the "hovercrafts" actually were fitted around the chassis of a small British two-seater. Long before computer-generated imagery, or CGI, was the rule, special effects crews faced a big challenge.

 

“They had to literally use smoke and mirrors to disguise the wheels to make it look like it’s floating,” Grams said.

 

Under development in Showroom 3, the new “Star Wars” display also will feature a scale model of the Millennium Falcon and life-sized characters including Chewbacca, jawas and, of course, R2-D2 and C-3PO. See it early, spring break visitors will. 

 

The spring break fun continues through Sunday, April 3 — Princesses and Super Heroes Day. Costumed characters will mingle with visitors throughout the museum. Even Mickey Mouse is expected to make an appearance. Children 12 and younger who arrive in costume will be admitted free with a paid adult. And a professional photographer will be available to take souvenir photos next to the Batmobile.

 

The Volo Auto Museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. It features roughly 400 classic, antique, muscle and Hollywood cars — and so much more. Admission is $15.00 for adults, $9.00 for children ages 5 to 12 and free for children 4 and younger. For other information, call 815-385-3644 or find Volo Auto Museum on Facebook.

 

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Photos attached 

Suggested captions

 

covered.wagon: This display is part of the Volo Auto Museum's new Evolution of Transportation and Lodging exhibit. A sneak peek of the exhibit, due to open this summer, will be made available as one of several special spring break features starting this weekend (March 26).

 

landspeeder: A sneak peek of the Volo Auto Museum's new "Star Wars" display is among several special features visitors will enjoy during spring break — March 26-April 3 — at the museum, 27582 Volo Village Road.