Discovery Center Museum, a children's museum featuring over 250 hands-on exhibits including a planetarium, is on the "12 Best Children's Museums In The U.S." list by Forbes. The Burpee Museum and the Discovery Center Museum, along with the Rockford Art Museum and the bases for Northern Public Radio, the Rockford Dance Company, and the Rockford Symphony Orchestra make up the downtown Riverfront Museum Park complex. The last museum under the park district's authority is Midway Village and Museum Center, a recreation of a Victorian-era village. The eastern riverwalk of Rockford is maintained by the park district, featuring the Nicholas Conservatory and Gardens. Located on the bank of the Rock River, the conservatory is the third-largest in the state of Illinois. Just north of the gardens is Symbol, an Alexander Liberman sculpture moved from downtown during the 1980s and now one of Rockford's most recognizable features. Arts and culture In 2021, Rafael Blanco (artist) painted “Thinking of you Rockford” in Rockford, Illinois. This 22-foot by 77-foot piece featured a young Black Female dreaming alongside math and science illustrations. Notable people Sports teams Current Rockford IceHogs (ice hockey; UHL 1999–2007, AHL 2007–present) Rockford Rivets (baseball; NWL 2015–present) Rockford Rage (women's roller derby; 2006–present) Rockford Raptors (indoor football) Historical Rockford Forest Citys (baseball, 1871) Rockford Peaches (women's baseball; AAGPBL, 1943–1954) Rockford Lightning (basketball; CBA, 1986–2005) Rockford Aviators (baseball; Frontier League 2002–2009, Northern League 2010, Frontier League 2011–2015) Rockford Rampage (indoor soccer; AISL 2005–2008, NISL 2008-2010) Rockford Fury (basketball; PBL, 2006–2008) Rockford Foresters (baseball; Midwest Collegiate League 2010–2013) Rockford Peaches From 1943 to 1954, the Rockford Peaches were an inaugural team of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Playing home games at Beyer Stadium, the Peaches won league championships in 1945, 1948, 1949, and 1950; the four championships are the most of any league member. The Rockford Peaches and the league itself were portrayed in the 1992 motion picture A League of Their Own. However, the characters in the film are fictional; the Peaches did not compete for the 1943 league championship (as depicted in the film). Production of the film did not feature the city of Rockford; as it had largely become abandoned and fallen into disrepair, Beyer Stadium was demolished at the beginning of the 1990s. Surrounding communities and suburbs Beloit, Wisconsin Belvidere Byron Caledonia Cherry Valley Davis Junction Freeport Janesville, Wisconsin Loves Park Lindenwood Machesney Park Monroe Center Mount Morris New