Tinker Swiss Cottage Museum and Gardens, Rockford

About Tinker Swiss Cottage Museum and Gardens

Tinker Swiss Cottage Museum and Gardens is a historic house museum in Rockford, Illinois, where visitors take guided tours of the main house, barn, and carriage house that belonged to the Tinker family. The property also features a Pre-Columbian Native American conical mound and gardens. The museum offers school tours for educational groups and Scouting America classes and Girl Scout classes for youth organizations. Beyond standard admission tours, the museum hosts special events including Murder Mystery Night, History and Haunts Walking Tour, paranormal investigations, D&D Night, guest speaker lectures, and the Illinois Paranormal Convention. Visitors can also rent the space for birthday parties and private events. Guided tours are required for all museum admission and run at scheduled times Tuesday through Sunday, with hours and availability published on the museum's website. Tickets are sold online through tinkercottage.com.