The CAA Visitors’ Center & Museum will close for the season on
Friday, October 26, 2007 and will re-open next May

2008 Season Dates: Thursday, May 1 – Friday, October 24, 2008

About Us: Welcome, and thank you for your interest!  The Center for American Archeology, Kampsville, Illinois, is an independent non-profit 501(c)3 institution dedicated to research and education in archeology and the natural sciences.  We do not receive direct support from the State of Illinois or the Federal Government – our funding comes exclusively through donations, tuition, and successful grant applications.  Our Visitors’ Center & Museum, housed within the historic Kamp Store building, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  While the majority of our exhibits focus on the fascinating prehistory of the lower Illinois River Valley, we also feature interesting exhibits about the historical period in Illinois and the history of the Kamp Store.

Our Gift Shop features a unique assortment of items for people of all ages, including CAA logo apparel and merchandise, postcards, handcrafted Peruvian gourd ornaments, historical toys, Trisha Waldron jewelry, and much more.  We’re especially proud of our selection of books, including the CAA publication series, children’s books about archeology, Native Americans, and nature, and archeology and history-themed volumes for scholars and the general public.

Where We’re Located: The CAA Visitors’ Center & Museum is located on the east side of Route 100 (the Great River Road), the main road through Kampsville, across the street from St. Anselm Catholic Church.  The brightly painted Kamp Store, with its large false front and maroon awning, is uniquely recognizable as you drive through town.

2008 Hours of Operation:
            Monday: Closed
            Tuesday-Friday: 10:00am to 5:00pm
            Saturday: 10:00am to 4:00pm
            Sunday: Noon to 4:00pm

Admission: Admission is free; donations are encouraged and welcomed.  Your donations and purchases directly support our education and public outreach programming, and make the operation of our Visitors’ Center & Museum possible!

Group Tours: Guided tours of our exhibits and/or excavation site, conducted by the CAA’s staff of professional archeologists, are available by appointment only and are open to groups of 10 or larger.  Guided tours of our exhibits and excavation site (excavation site tours are seasonal, mid-June to mid-August, must be scheduled with our office at least one month in advance.

Fees:  Fees are charged for group tours, and vary according to program length and number of guests.  Please contact our office for a price quote.  Fees are used to support the CAA’s education and public outreach programs and Visitors’ Center.

Tour Buses:  Tour buses are welcome to stop by our Visitors’ Center & Museum.  Please note that our restroom (single) is not designed to accommodate large groups of people, so please plan your bathroom breaks accordingly.  Guided tours are available for a fee – please see the description of “group tours” above—and are by appointment only.

For informal visits (No guided tour), we request that tour organizers/operators make a courtesy call to our office, (618) 653-4316, at least one week in advance so that we may advise our staff of your Arrival.

Summer Excavation Field Season & Site Visits: Casual visitors are welcome to stop by our excavation site from mid-June to mid-August.  Typically, our students excavate from Tuesday-Friday, 9am to 12pm and 1pm to 3:30 pm.  Extreme weather conditions will shorten or cancel the work day—our Museum Associates at the Visitors’ Center are kept informed of our excavation schedule.
 
Make A Day of It!: Kampsville is located on the banks of the Illinois River in scenic Calhoun County—a must-see for nature enthusiasts and birdwatchers.  Our limestone bluffs provide a scenic backdrop for spring flowering trees, become radiant emerald green in summer, and are majestic in their fall colors.  Though a small rural community, Kampsville makes for a nice stop to grab some lunch, do a little antiquing, or to hike (The McCully Heritage Project, www.mccullyheritage.org).  The Great River Road web site (www.greatriverroad.com) and the Alton Convention & Visitors Bureau web site (www.visitalton.com) are great resources to help you plan your visit to our neighborhood.  Come explore and enjoy!