Be Your Own Guide
A self-guided visit offers your group a chance to explore the entire museum at your own pace. Staff members are available to answer questions about Byron history, the Lucius Read House, and the Museum’s exhibits.

A Family Self-Guide brochure is available to use while at the museum. This brochure is a fun-filled way for families and student groups to discover the exhibits at the museum and highlights interactive activities for kids and exciting things to look for in the exhibits. Scavenger Hunt activities are also available upon request.

Tour Packages
Bring your group to the Byron Museum for an overview of Byron history and an in-depth look at the museum’s exhibits. Tours allow your group to experience a guided visit to the museum with hands on activities. Larger groups can be accommodated, but will be divided into separate tour groups. The following list of options describes the guided tours available. If you don’t see something that fits your needs, please call our office at 815.234.5031 to ask about customizing a tour for your organization.

Historic Byron: 175 Years of History
A guided tour of the museum focuses on all elements of Byron history including the Lucius Read House, and the Underground Railroad, A.G. Spalding and baseball, Byron’s railroad era, a history of Byron’s businesses, and outhouse archaeology. Tour Time: 45 min

For Students & Scout Groups
Tours are ideal for school and scout groups ages 3rd grade and up, but younger ages can be accommodated in shorter simpler tour versions. Teachers or group leaders should plan to include at least two chaperones for every 6-8 children with a max of 30 children.

Highlights of Historic Byron
This brief guided tour of the museum points out featured exhibits and includes a short history of the Lucius Read House and Byron’s participation in the Underground Railroad. Following the tour your group may explore the museum at your leisure. One or more activities such as the Hobo Scavenger Hunt or butter making can be scheduled. Tour Time including activities: 1 hour.

Historic Byron: 175 Years of History
A guided tour of the museum focuses on all elements of Byron history including the Lucius Read House, and the Underground Railroad, A.G. Spalding and baseball, Byron’s railroad era, a history of Byron’s businesses, and outhouse archaeology. One or more activities such as the Hobo Scavenger Hunt or butter making can be scheduled. Tour Time including activities: 1.5 hours.

The Underground Railroad: From Shackles to Freedom
The Underground Railroad: From Shackles to Freedom program introduces students in grades 4-6 to an integral part of American history: slavery, the Underground Railroad, and the struggle for freedom. Students will hear stories of escape, listen to songs with hidden messages, and climb in a model of a box in which a slave mailed himself to freedom. Students will also decode and decipher secret Underground Railroad messages as a class activity. This program is held in the historic Lucius Read house, where particular emphasis is placed on the Read family who were local Abolitionists. This is an ideal program for students studying slavery, abolition, and local history. Tour time including activites: 1 hour.