Welcome to the Batavia Depot Museum

About the museum

The Batavia Depot Museum opened in 1975 as a cooperative effort between the Batavia Park District and the Batavia Historical Society. The Chicago Burlington and Quincy Railroad Depot was the first of its kind built in 1854 and is recognized on the National Register of Historic Places. Inside, the city’s past comes alive through exhibits detailing the history of rail transportation, manufacture of windmills, agriculture, banking, commerce and a brief stay by Mary Todd Lincoln at Bellevue Place.

Saving the Depot in the early 1970s was an effort that involved all Batavians. Though contributions and generous matching funds from Furnas, $31,000 was raised to move the historic structure from its original location at the corner of Van Buren and Webster street to its current location on Houston Street, a total of 9 blocks, one hill, and one bridge! Moving day, October 11, 1973, was such an event, even school children were let out of class to see the Depot traveling to its new home. Over the years, the Depot has increased the number of exhibits and even space with the addition of the Gustafson Research Center in 2000.

Our mission

Through collecting, preserving, interpreting and exhibiting the history of Batavia, the Batavia Depot Museum forever captures and preserves the accomplishments of Batavians, while enriching public knowledge and creating leisure and educational opportunities for the community.

Our collection

Our museum is home to historical objects related to the history of Batavia from industry to daily life. Museum staff interpret these artifacts through exhibits and programs to tell the stories of our town and the greater history of the Fox Valley. These objects can be industry tools, company memorabilia, clothing and accessories, school artifacts, military gear, personal letters and diaries, and much more.

Want to learn more about some of our artifacts? Check out our “Unlocking the Vault” video series! The videos go into depth about the objects and provide fun facts about the history behind them. Make sure to check out these videos on The Batavia Park District YouTube page to gain some knowledge about Batavia’s rich history!

Interested in donating something to the collection? We highly recommend sending an email to the curator at museum@bataviaparks.org with pictures to consider artifact.