(All locations are in Illinois.)
Batavia Depot Museum
Location: 155 Houston St., Batavia
Hours: 2-4 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Noon-4 p.m. June to August. Closed during winter
Cost: Free, donations accepted
Information: 630-406-5274 or www.bataviahistoricalsociety.org
Built in 1854, the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Depot is one of the oldest train depots in the area. Operated through a joint effort of the Batavia Park District and Batavia Historical Society, the museum houses exhibits on Batavia’s railroad history, Indian tribes of Northern Illinois in the early 1800s and Mary Todd Lincoln’s stay in Batavia’s Bellevue Place.
Cernan Earth and Space Center
Location: Triton College, 1736 5th Ave., River Grove
Hours: 9:45 a.m. Wednesday Early Explorers; Dome shows 7 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday; Laser shows 8 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday. Exhibit Hall opens at 8 a.m.
Cost: $3 Early Explorers; dome shows: $8 adults, $4 ages 2-12 and seniors; laser shows: $10 adults, $5 children and seniors. Triton College students are free with student ID. Exhibit Hall free to all.
Information: 708-456-0300, ext. 3372 or www.triton.edu/cernan
Located on the campus of Triton College, the center offers both educational and entertainment programming inside its 93-seat dome theater. Along with classic planetarium programs on astronomy and space, the theater offers children’s programs and musical laser light shows. An exhibit hall features space artifacts related to Capt. Gene Cernan including his Apollo 10 spacesuit and spacecraft models.
David L. Pierce Art and History Center
Location: 20 E. Downer Place, Aurora
Hours: Noon-4 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday.
Cost: Free, donations accepted.
Information: 630-906-0650 or www.aurorahistory.net
The center features three floors of galleries and a museum shop. Special events and programs are held throughout the year.
DuPage Children’s Museum
Location: 301 N. Washington St., Naperville
Hours: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday; noon-5 p.m. Sunday. Open until 8 p.m. the third Thursday of the month.
Cost: $12 adults and children, $10 seniors, under 1 free.
Information: 630-637-8000 or www.dupagechildrens.org
The museum offers a variety of hands-on learning experiences in science, math and art. Exhibits are divided into various neighborhoods that explore the senses, along with concepts including gravity, movement, cause/effect and the power of wind and water. Children can build their own creations with wood and tools in the Moser Construction House, and learn what it is like to be inside a giant bubble.
DuPage County Historical Museum
Location: 102 E Wesley St., Wheaton
Hours: 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday, noon-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Cost: Free, donations requested.
Information: 630-510-4941 or www.dupagemuseum.org
Housed in the former Adams Memorial Library, built in 1891, the museum is dedicated to preserving the history of the county. Owned by DuPage County and operated as a facility of the Wheaton Park District, the building is home to artifacts collected by the DuPage Historical Society since 1929 and the museum since its founding in 1965. Along with a variety of changing exhibits, the permanent collection features exhibits on the settlement of DuPage County, Civil War experiences of county residents and the history of the railroad in DuPage.
Elgin Public Museum
Location: 225 Grand Blvd. Elgin
Hours: Noon-4 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday, Memorial Day-Labor Day; Noon-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday rest of year. Closed January.
Cost: By donation: suggested $2 adults, $1 children under 12
Information: 847-741-6655 or www.elginpublicmuseum.org
Located in Lords Park, the 100-year-old natural history and anthropology museum offers exhibits such as the Endangered Species Collection, which features extinct and endangered specimens including the bald eagle and passenger pigeon. The 1681 expedition of Robert de LaSalle and life in the Illinois Wilderness is also explored.
Elmhurst History Museum
Location: 120 E. Park Ave., Elmhurst
Hours: 1-5 p.m. Sunday, Tuesday-Friday; 10 am.-5 p.m. Saturday
Cost: Free general admission, nominal fees for special events and tours.
Information: 630-833-1457 or www.elmhursthistory.org
Operated by the city of Elmhurst, the museum is in the mansion built around 1892 by the first village president, Henry Glos. The permanent collection includes “By All Accounts,” an interactive exhibit on the 165-year history of Elmhurst.
Fabyan Villa Museum and Japanese Garden
Location: 2001 S. Batavia Ave., Geneva
Hours: Villa: 1-4 p.m. Wednesday, 1-4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, May 1-Oct. 15; 1-4 p.m. Thursday, June-August. Garden: 1-4 p.m. Wednesday and 1-4:30 p.m. Sunday, May 1-Oct. 15; 1-4 p.m. Thursday June-August. Closed Saturday.
Cost: Fabyan Villa: $3 adults, $1 children suggested donation. Garden: $1 per person suggested donation.
Information: 630-377-6424 or www.ppfv.org/fabyan-villa
Located in the Fabyan West Forest Preserve, the museum was the former home of George and Nelle Fabyan from 1905-1939. Remodeled by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1907, the building now houses the couple’s private collection of Asian artifacts and natural history specimens. The grounds of the villa are home to the Japanese Garden. Inspired after visiting the Japanese Pavilion at the 1893 Columbian Exposition, the Fabyans commissioned landscape designer Taro Otsuka to design a Japanese garden on their property.
Farnsworth House Museum
Location: 14520 River Road, Plano
Hours: Tours from mid-April-November at 10 a.m., noon and 4 p.m. Tuesdays-Friday. On the hour from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Closed Monday.
Cost: $20 in advance, plus $2.50 ticketing fee. $25 at door, if available
Information: 630-552-0052 or www.farnsworthhouse.org
Built in 1951, the Mies Van der Rohe-designed Farnsworth House is a prime example of the International Style of architecture. The glass box home was built along the Fox River and served as a private residence until Illinois Landmarks and the National Trust for Historic Preservation purchased it in 2003. Owned and operated by the Trust, the only way to visit is by taking a tour.
First Division Museum
Location: 1S151 Winfield Road, Wheaton
Hours: Closed until Aug. 26 for redesign
Cost: Free with paid admission to Cantigny Park. $5 per car daily February-April and October-December; $5 per car Monday-Friday and $10 per car Saturday-Sunday, May-September. $10 per car on Memorial Day, July 4 and Labor Day. Free the first Wednesday of the month.
Information: 630-260-8185 or www.firstdivisionmuseum.org
The museum at Cantigny Park chronicles the history of the U.S. Army 1st Infantry Division from its creation in 1917 through 1970. The museum is undergoing an extensive redesign that will allow for interactive technology, new artifact displays and the ability to tell the 1st Division’s history through the present day. It is expected to reopen in late August in observance of the centennial of the 1st Infantry Division and World War I.
Flagg Creek Historical Museum & the Robert Vial House
Location: 7425 S. Wolf Road, Burr Ridge
Hours: 2-4 p.m. first Sunday of the month, April-October, and 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Mondays throughout the year. The Robert Vial House is open 2-4 p.m. first Sunday of the month, April-October, and 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Thursday throughout the year. Both can be opened upon request.
Cost: Free
Information: 630-662-6220 or www.flaggcreekheritagesociety.com
Owned by the Pleasant Dale Park District and operated by the Flagg Creek Heritage Society, the museum and Robert Vial House offer insight to the area during the 1800s. Business and family records dating to 1803, early farm tools, settlers’ reference books and Native American artifacts are among the museum’s collection. The Vial House, built by prominent resident Robert Vial in 1856, incorporates both the Greek Revival and Italianate style of architecture. The house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Frank Lloyd Wright Home & Studio
Location: 951 Chicago Ave., Oak Park
Hours: 9 a.m.-4:15 p.m. daily
Cost: $18 adult, $15 students, seniors and military
Information: 312-994-4000 or www.flwright.org/visit/homeandstudio
The only way to visit Frank Lloyd Wright’s home and studio in Oak Park is by taking a tour. Visitors will learn how the architect used his 1889 home and adjacent studio to try out design concepts that became his signature Prairie style.
Geneva History Museum
Location: 113 S. Third St., Geneva
Hours: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Closed Sunday and Monday, holiday weekends and January.
Cost: $3 adults, $2 ages 3-11, free for children under 3 and museum members.
Information: 630-232-4951 or www.genevahistorymuseum.org
Located in the heart of Geneva’s historic district, the two-story museum is operated by the Geneva Historical Society. Permanent exhibits include “Geneva’s Story.”
Hinsdale History Museum
Location: 15 S. Clay St., Hinsdale
Hours: Noon-4 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays or by appointment
Cost: Free, donations appreciated
Information: 630-789-2600 or www.hinsdalehistory.org
Operated by the Hinsdale Historical Society, the museum hosts special exhibits throughout the year. In addition, a permanent exhibit takes a look at the life of a middle class Hinsdale family between 1874 and 1900.
Jurica-Suchy Nature Museum
Location: 5700 College Road, Lisle
Hours: 1-5 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 2-4 p.m. Friday-Sunday
Cost: Free
Information: 630-829-6569 or www.ben.edu/museum
Located on the campus of Benedictine University, the small natural history museum features more than 10,000 specimens ranging from a tiny aphid to a whale skeleton.
La Grange Area Historical Society
Location: Vial House Museum and Archive, 444 S. La Grange Road, La Grange
Hours: 9:30 a.m.-noon Wednesdays and 1-4 p.m. the last Sunday of the month. Also by appointment.
Cost: Free
Information: 708-482-4248 or www.lagrangehistory.org
Built in 1874 by Samuel Vial, the house was purchased by the La Grange Area Historical Society in the 1980s. It now houses the museum and archive, offering changing exhibits and educational programs. The archive also features an individual file on the history of each house in La Grange and La Grange Park.
Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art
Location: 220 S. Cottage Hill Ave., Elmhurst
Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, 1-5 p.m. Sunday. Closed Monday
Cost: $5 adults, $4 seniors, $3 students and teens, $2 ages 7-12, free under 7. Free on Fridays.
Information: 630-833-1616 or www.lizzadromuseum.org
Located in Wilder Park, the museum displays more than 200 pieces of jade and other stone carvings from the collection of Joseph Lizzadro. Among the collection is a jade imperial altar set created during the Ming Dynasty and a 19th century Italian ivory carving of The Last Supper. The Rock and Mineral Experience exhibit offers hands-on learning, including the ability to touch a meteorite.
Midwest Museum of Natural History
Location: 425 W. State St., Sycamore
Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Wednesday-Friday; 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday. Closed weekends.
Cost: $8 adults, $5 ages 2-12 and seniors
Information: 815-895-9777 or www.mmnh.org
Featuring more than 100 mounted animals, the Midwest Nature Museum’s permanent collection is one of the few places in the United States to see a mounted African elephant. The museum also houses a collection of live animals. Programming and temporary exhibits focus on biology, geology and anthropology.
Pioneer Sholes School
Location: 37W370 Dean St., St. Charles
Hours: 1-4 p.m. Sunday, June 11-Oct. 8, and 1-4 p.m. Thursday, June 11-Aug. 13.
Cost: Free.
Information: 630-956-2581 or www.pioneersholesschool.org
Located in LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve in St. Charles Township, the one-room schoolhouse dates back to at least 1872 and serves as a living museum for area students, teachers and the general public.
Vintage Wings and Wheels Museum
Location: 5151 Orth Road, Poplar Grove
Hours: April 1-Sept. 30. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, Noon-3 p.m. Sunday
Cost: $5 adults, $4 seniors, $3 ages 7-17, free under 7. Family rate: $12
Information: 815-547-3115 or www.poplargrovewingsandwheels.com
The museum is dedicated to pre-World War II transportation history. Located at the Poplar Grove Airport, several restored early 20th Century airplane hangars and automotive garages are on-site, including the Art Deco Waukesha Hangar.
Schingoethe Center for Native American Cultures
Location: Hill Welcome Center at Aurora University, 1315 Prairie St., Aurora
Hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday, Wednesday-Friday. 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday. Closed weekends and holidays.
Cost: Free, donations accepted.
Information: 630-844-7843 or www.aurora.edu/museum
Dedicated to preserving and celebrating Native American history, the museum hosts several ongoing exhibits, including “Native Peoples of Illinois,” which looks at the early inhabitants of the state. Other exhibits include Native American pottery and jewelry.
Westmont Historical Society-Gregg House Museum
Location: 115 S. Linden Ave., Westmont
Hours: 1-3 p.m. Sunday and Wednesday
Cost: Free.
Information: 630-969-8080 or westmontparks.org/Facilities/Gregg-House-Museum.htm
Owned by the Westmont Park District and operated by the Westmont Historical Society, the museum has a storied history. Built in the 1870s, the house has served a variety of purposes including as a restaurant, church residence, funeral home and speak easy. Visitors can explore the different rooms in the museum, each dedicated to a different time period.
William Tanner House
Location: 305 Cedar St., Aurora
Hours: Tours at 1, 2 and 3 p.m. Wednesday and Sunday from April-September.
Cost: Free, donations appreciated.
Information: 630-906-0650 or www.aurorahistory.net
Donated to the Aurora Historical Society in 1936 by the Tanner family, the 1857 Italianate-style house was the home of prominent businessman William Tanner and his family. Open for tours only, the home and its antique furnishings offer a look into the Victorian era.
—Kathy Cichon
