Metropolis, Illinois

Nerd alert...Metropolis, Illinois officially named the home of Superman in the '70s. This was to be the home of a grand Superman Land amusement park that never happened.

Rating:

3 cold beers out of a six-pack from the RV fridge. Great collection from one for the first real superheros.

Metropolis, IL, went all in in the 70's (it was a different time) and officially named the home of Superman. Okay, this is where our inner nerd shows through - they must have been high because "everyone" knows that Clark Kent grew up on a farm in rural Kansas near Smallville... duh! Sorry, had to get that out. We promise to put our pocket protectors and nerdy glasses away and get on with the story...

Anyway, in the '70s this was to be the home of a grand Superman Land amusement park. That fell through and left a small, outdated, but somewhat quaint midwestern town still centered around their (adopted) superhero.

In the middle of the town square is a very large Superman statue you can take pictures with. Unfortunately it was roped off and being painted on the day we visited, but we were able to make it work anyway.

Across the street from the statue is the Superman museum and gift shop. You enter the store and find yourself surrounded by superhero collectibles, t-shirts, costumes, and everything superhero. This was nerd overload and both Barbra Jean Jo Barbara and Randy Randerson lost themselves for a minute running around the store like little kids pointing at things and shouting (with delight), "look at this, look at that!".

The cashier for the store also sells the tickets ($5 each) to the museum and can answer any questions you may have.

This is easily the most complete collection of Superman memorabilia, much of it from the sets of the TV shows and movies. There are statues you can pose with that are wearing the set used costumes, life casts of the actors for the makeup, items from the set-dressing like the typewriters used at the Daily Planet, and so much more.

There is no tour, so you can walk through at your leisure. The museum features 20,000+ items that were collected over a lifetime by Superman enthusiast, Jim Hambrick. He has amassed one of the largest collections of Superman memorabilia in the world.

The museum is organized around particular eras and portrayals of Superman, spanning television, movies, and comics.

The Superman theme doesn't stop at the town square, the town is "all in". The local bank is "home of Super financial services." The town newspaper calls itself "The Planet". A sign in the grocery store informs customers: "Just as Superman stands for truth, justice and the American Way, Food World stands for quality, convenience and friendly service."

Although not a destination in and of itself, it is a fun stop if you are heading along I-24 in southern Illinois.

Tip:

Take your sense of humor and some patience with you as you visit this place. It is not a Disney theme park, it is just a small midwest town that rallies around a fun theme.

Don't drive hundreds of miles out of your way, but if you are a fan and passing by, you should stop in to see it.

Price:

Museum - $5 per person