Sponsorships
Corporate Sponsorship
IRM offers many opportunities for your company to lend its support to the preservation of our nation's railroad heritage. Sponsorship and naming opportunities are available in three primary areas:
Equipment Restoration - At any given time, the museum has 10-20 individual pieces of railway equipment undergoing restoration by our volunteers. Your company can sponsor one of these restoration efforts either through donation or through the provision of labor, expertise, or materials that might align between your company's abilities and mission and the needs of the project.
Event Sponsorship - Help promote historical preservation and put your company's name in front of our visitors at the same time. Sponsor one of the special events at the Illinois Railway Museum. Our special events draw anywhere from 1,000 to 25,000 people depending on the event. Additionally, advertising for these events can reach hundreds of thousands of people in the Chicago, Rockford, and Milwaukee markets.
Exhibit Sponsorship - A lasting way to participate in the museum's preservation and educational activities is by sponsoring one of our historic exhibits. These will generally be in front of the visiting public for years or even decades. Exhibits can range from a limited exhibit in our Yard 5 Exhibit Cars all the way up to an exhibit barn or a building on our Main Street Scene. Naming opportunities for exhibits and buildings are also available.
Please contact us to inquire about how we might be able to meet your philanthropic objectives.
The Facility Memorials Program
What better way to remember that special someone who loved the museum or the railroad/transit industry than with a memorial placed at the museum campus? Options for memorializing your loved one include benches, hardwood trees, and picnic tables, all with a memorial plaque. Click here for more information on memorial options and for an application form.