Stand face to face with a white rhino. Stare at the gaping mouth of a hippopotamus. Feel tiny next to an African elephant.

All this is possible without leaving the county.

Sycamore is roaring with excitement for the grand opening of the Midwest Museum of Natural History, 425 W. State St.

The museum features a collection of taxidermic animals that Sycamore resident Russ Schelkopf donated to the city.

When Schelkopf donated his collection, which took 40 years to accumulate, the question was not whether to accept the impressive collection – the question was where an African elephant would fit, said executive director Chris Brodnicki.

The old community center, which had fallen into disrepair, seemed like the perfect place. Schelkopf’s donation caused a lot of excitement so a board of directors for the museum was formed, said volunteer coordinator Juanita Mundy.

More than half the money needed to make repairs and build the exhibits – roughly $1.5 million – was raised by private donations, Brodnicki said.

Last July, the big move was underway to transport the large collection of animals from Schelkopf’s farm in Kingston to the new location in Sycamore. Flatbed trucks and a lot of hard work moved every piece of the collection, except for the African elephant.

A professional moving company was needed for the task, but the estimated price for such a unique endeavor was high. Blackhawk Moving and Storage Inc, 340 South Ave., offered their services for free.

“I have respect for the people who donated the collection and it is our way of doing something to help the museum to get going,” said Dan Hamingson, co-owner of the moving company.

He said he believes in the museum and feels that it will be a great addition to the community.

Along with the animals in the Schelkopf Collection, the museum has an interactive element, Brodnicki said.

The Nature Exploratorium is a children’s workshop located downstairs that has a variety of learning activities.

The kids room was fully funded by Yvonne Johnson, a teacher in Sycamore who felt the museum should have an educational area for children, Brodnicki said.

There are also workshops, a classroom and a lunchroom for students on field trips, as well as a theater that plays clips discussing natural resources.

The museum expects to set an official date for its grand opening near the end of March.