Upcoming Museum Closures

Tinker Swiss Cottage may also close during the winter months due to weather conditions.
We apologize for any inconvenience. 

#You Belong in a Museum

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In 2019, Tinker Swiss Cottage Museum and Gardens continues our You Belong in a Museum campaign!
 
Throughout the year, we will have lectures, workshops, open houses, family game days, members only night tours, and free admission dates for you to explore what is it like to be a part of the Tinker Swiss Cottage Museum!

Join us for these upcoming free admission dates:

July: 10th, 17th
August: 15th, 21st, 28th
​September: All Tuesdays
 
Don’t miss out! Keep your eyes peeled for announcements for these events and so much more on Facebook or Twitter using the hashtags #youbelonginamuseum and #ibelonginamuseum

SOLD OUT!
​Speakeasy Murder Mystery 
July 27th              6:00pm

​Dust off your flapper dress, zoot suits and Tommy guns and get  ready for your Roaring Twenties Murder Mystery Party! At the height of prohibition, morale was high, morals were at an all-time low, and most of the country was controlled by the Mafia. 

At this cozy little hot spot, hidden in the old Tinker mansion, you will find the best night scene around. Drink, dance, sing and mingle with other like-minded individuals but be careful, wherever there is liquor there is always the mafia…and the police. On a night like tonight, with tensions running high, you might get caught in the middle of a bloody dispute. Enjoy your night but keep your guard up, we’d hate to lose any of our clientele!

"Unsolved Crimes of Winnebago County"
August 10              2:00pm

​​Tinker Swiss Cottage is excited to continue our Summer Lecture series with local historian and author, Kathi Kresol. Kathi will share some of the stories of the unsolved crimes she has uncovered in her research of Rockford’s History. Kathi has been researching Rockford’s history for over 10 years for Haunted Rockford Tours and her local newspaper column, “Voices from the Grave.” Her first book, Murder and Mayhem in Rockford was published in November 2015.

The cost for this lecture is $10 for non-members and $5 for Tinker members. 
 
*Space is limited, so reserve today!

Tinker's Shadow
​New Documentary of Tinker Swiss Cottage Now Available!

Looking for a fun way to take Tinker home with you? Director Michael Kleen has put together a wonderful new documentary on Tinker Swiss Cottage, titled Tinker's Shadow: The Hidden History of Tinker Swiss Cottage.

​The documentary is available to purchase through Amazon, or you can get your DVD copy in our gift shop! Proceeds will go towards helping us to maintain the Cottage. 

​*Reminder: Please select "Tinker Swiss Cottage" as the benefactor when you shop at smile.amazon.com

Check out the trailer HERE!
​Watch the documentary HERE!

Paranormal Investigation with Haunted Rockford and Ghost Research Society
​July 19th                     7:00pm 

Haunted Rockford is thrilled to partner with Tinker Swiss Cottage to bring the renowned Ghost Investigator Dale Kaczmarek and his Ghost Research Society (GHS) to investigate this exciting location. There have been many claims to paranormal experiences in this historic home, and it was featured on the SyFy Channel’s Ghost Hunters Paranormal Show.  Guests will meet up for the investigation at the barn.  We will travel through three “hot spots”  in an actual paranormal investigation.
Haunted Rockford’s Kathi Kresol and Tinker Cottage Executive Director Samantha Hochmann will share the history of the houses and details of the ghostly encounters, and then team members from GHS will show you how to operate their equipment. Guests may also bring their own equipment to use on the investigation.
The price of this event is $40.00 and must be paid in advance.  To register for this event on this website, you must pay via PayPal at the time of registration. Registration orders made online and not paid via PayPal at the time of registration will be canceled.
To make other arrangements, please call Kathi at 815-871-4239.

"Rockford's Forgotten Driving Park"
September 7          2:00pm 

​Tinker Swiss Cottage is excited to close out our Summer Lecture Series with local historian and author Amanda Becker. Local thrill-seekers at the turn of the century knew that all the action was at the Driving Park. But few today know the drama buried beneath a West End subdivision. At the height of the horse racing craze after the Civil War, prominent Rockford businessmen raised $25,000 to build a harness racetrack there in 1890 (the name refers to the person in the cart pulled by a horse--the driver). The versatile venue evolved to stay relevant, weathering the 1893 financial panic and welcoming bicycle mania. Events ranged from high school track meets to early auto racing. Folks saw a soccer game one week and a circus the next. Controversy erupted at times, from gambling and drinking to a murder and a KKK rally. Historian and author Amanda Becker reveals this colorful story nearly forgotten since 1938.

The cost for this lecture is $10 for non-members and $5 for Tinker members. 
 
*Space is limited, so reserve today!
Tinker Swiss Cottage Museum            411 Kent St. Rockford, IL 61102              P: (815)964-2424              info@tinkercottage.com 
*All header images provided by © Rockford Park District - Photo by Jesse Fox

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Have questions? Want to check in before you arrive? Ask us here!