First look at Caterpillar’s new Visitors Center and museum

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Equipment World was on hand for what Caterpillar said was the “first private tour” of its new Visitors Center at its headquarters in Peoria, Illinois. Beyond acquainting folks with the brand, the facility acts as a museum of sorts and opens to the public Saturday.

One of the must-see pieces at the center is a 1928 Cat Model Twenty tractor. This antique was  powered by a 20-horsepower gasoline engine and has been full restored, complete with the original shade of gray paint. 
The 50,000-square-foot facility houses a theater contained in the bed of a Cat 797, the largest mining truck the manufacturer now makes. The theater shows an introductory film for the center and is enhanced by “butt kicker” seats that allow viewers to feel the vibrations of the machines up on the screen.

A time capsule housed at the visitor’s center will be sealed shortly, and opened back up on the manufacturer’s 125th anniversary.

Check out these first photos from inside the center. Click each thumbnail for a larger version.