Museums in:

Glen Ellyn, Illinois

Addison Historical Museum

Addison, Illinois

History, Historic House

Located within the Historic District of Addison, the Addison Historical Museum includes the 1892 Balzer House which features displays on local history, the 1832 Coach House which presents dioramas and exhibits on Addison's farming heritage and the 1893 Century House, once the home of Lutheran school teachers and their families, which is now a restored period home.

Bensenville Historical Society

Bensenville, Illinois

History, Historical Society

Bloomingdale Historical Society

Bloomingdale, Illinois

Culture, History, Historical Society

Bloomingdale is one of the earliest villages settled in what is now DuPage County. The Meacham family settled here in 1833, and by the end of the following year, 12-15 families had settled in the locality. The community was served by the Chicago-Galena Highway, modern day Lake Street. It became an important stop for stage coaches and westward travelers. Originally a Cook County settlement, it was annexed by DuPage in 1839, and incorporated as a village later that year. The northern part of the village wanted to develop commercially while the southern part wished to remain a farming community. In 1922, the village split to accommodate this—the northern portion of the town was incorporated as Roselle. Source: Wikipedia

Arboretum, Art, Botanical Garden, Children's, Culture, General, History, Historic House, Library, Military

Located in Wheaton, Ill., this sprawling, 500-acre park is where families wander through nature, get lost in history, play golf at an award-winning course, attend a big band concert, tag monarch butterflies, make a snow globe, take classes, introduce children to the age-old custom of afternoon tea, attend a wide variety of special programs and events --in short, spend quality time together.

In addition to vast formal gardens and picnic and camping grounds, Cantigny offers two history-rich museums: the Robert R. McCormick Museum and the Cantigny First Division Museum, fascinating for children and researchers alike.

Library

Downers Grove Museum

Downers Grove, Illinois

History

Art, History

DuPage Heritage Gallery

Wheaton, Illinois

Elmhurst Historical Museum

Elmhurst, Illinois

History

Gahlberg Gallery/Arts Center

Glen Ellyn, Illinois

Art

Gretna Station & Caboose Museums

Carol Stream, Illinois

History

Kline Creek Farm

Wheaton, Illinois

History, Historic House

Specialized

The Museum houses a large collection of Chinese jade and other hard stone carvings from around the world, exhibits include animal dioramas, gemstones, mineral specimens, earth science phenomena, and lapidary materials.

Lustron Research

Lombard, Illinois

History

Morton Arboretum

Lisle, Illinois

Arboretum

Oak Brook Historical Society

Oak Brook, Illinois

Historical Society

We are currently in the process of restoring the interior of the historic Old Butler School which serves as the Oak Brook Heritage Center. The Heritage Center is operated by the Historical Society and, upon completion, will serve as an educational resource for the display and study of the heritage and history of Oak Brook for residents, school children and visitors alike. Small group meeting space will also be available for local organizations. Currently, the northeast library room serves as a family history center for those wishing to learn more about their ancestors and/or the early settlers of this area through the use of archival documents, photographs and various cemetery databases. Please contact OBHS for more information.

Stacy's Tavern Museum

Glen Ellyn, Illinois

History

Villa Park Historical Museum

Villa Park, Illinois

History, Park

Warrenville Historical Museum

Warrenville, Illinois

Art, Children's, Culture, General, History, Historic House, Historical Society, Military, Specialized

The purpose of the Warrenville Historical Society is to bring together those interested in Warrenville's history, and to collect, preserve and display objects and documents that illustrate that history. The Historical Society is a self-supporting not-for-profit organization.The Warrenville Historical Society was organized in 1980 and the Society opened the Warrenville Historical Museum in 1984. Space was provided for the Museum in one room of the Greek Revival Style Albright Building through the generosity of the City of Warrenville, interest groups, businesses and individuals. The museum now encompasses the entire building.

Wheaton History Center

Wheaton, Illinois

Winfield Historical Society

Winfield, Illinois

Culture, History, Historic House

Our objective is to support a living historical center to foster education and appreciation of the history of Winfield and vicinity.

Billy Graham Center Museum

Wheaton, Illinois

History

Bloomingdale Park District Museum

Bloomingdale, Illinois

Art

The Bloomingdale Park District Museum is Bloomingdale's oldest building and home to five to seven exhibits and 1,000+ visitors per year.

Carol Stream Historical Society

Carol Stream, Illinois

History, Historical Society

Downers Grove Historical Society

Downers Grove, Illinois

History, Historical Society, Library

History, Historic House, Historical Society

The DuPage County Historical Society was founded in 1929 by a group of DuPage County residents with a common interest in the history of the County. Their goal was to preserve and disseminate the County’s history.

Elmhurst Art Museum

Elmhurst, Illinois

Art

The Elmhurst Art Museum is the cultural center of DuPage County, Illinois. Specializing in late 20th Century American Art. Its award winning building was designed around one of only three Mies van der Rohe homes built in the United States.

First Division Museum

Wheaton, Illinois

History, Library, Military, Specialized

The First Division Museum presents the history of the famed 1st Infantry Division of the U.S. Army, "The Big Red One," within the broader context of modern American military history using contemporary, interactive exhibits. The main exhibit hall covers the division's history beginning in World War I up through its fight in the Gulf War. Visitors can explore a WWI trench and trench barracks while the sounds of exploding shells and diving planes are heard overhead, sit in a landing craft for the invasion of Normandy, WWII, then move out onto Omaha Beach as it looked the day after D-Day, 1944, or walk through the jungles of Vietnam and see a three-screen, panoramic presentation of the Division's Vietnam history.

Glen Ellyn Historical Society

Glen Ellyn, Illinois

Historical Society, Nature Centers

Anthropology, Archaeology, Library, Natural History, Nature Centers, Science, University

The Jurica-Suchy Nature Museum, located on campus at Benedictine University, exhibits over 3,500 specimens focused on zoology, botany, geology, and environmental stewardship. Intricate dioramas give a sense of adventure and encourages visitors to investigate nature in their own backyards. The museum offers a variety of scavenger hunts and activity pages to guide your visit.

Lisle Station Park

Lisle, Illinois

Park

Lombard Historical Society

Lombard, Illinois

History, Historical Society, Library

The Victorian Cottage Museum (formerly known as the Lombard Historical Museum) is an 1882 historic house museum that provides information and examples of a middle-class Victorian household as part of the history of Lombard.

Mayslake Peabody Estate

Oak Brook, Illinois

Historic House

Mayslake Peabody Estate is part of Mayslake Forest Preserve. The preserve, once home to Potawatomi Indians, encompasses 88 acres of natural resources. The rolling landscape includes 22 acres of wetlands, lakes, restored prairie, and two small oak savannas–one of the region’s most endangered ecosystems. It is owned and operated by the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County and serves as one of its five education centers.

Culture, History, Historic House

The Museums at Lisle Station Park provide visitors the opportunity to learn about the heritage and culture of 19th century Northern Illinois. Settled in 1832, the life of this agricultural community soon revolved around the railroad depot and the area became known as Lisle Station.

Robert R. McCormick Museum

Wheaton, Illinois

Historic House

Historical Society

Warren Tavern Preservationists

Warrenville, Illinois

History

Library

Willowbrook Wildlife Haven

Glen Ellyn, Illinois

DISCLAIMER
This information, including business hours, addresses and contact information is provided for general reference purposes only. No representation is made or warranty is given as to its content or the reliability thereof. User assumes all risk of use. Stories USA, Inc. and its content suppliers assume no responsibility for any loss or delay resulting from such use. Please call ahead to verify the dates, the location and directions.

MUSEUM CONFERENCES

April 27 - April 29, 2025

Oregon Museum Association 2025 Conference

TBA

Independence, Oregon

Beginning in 2025, the OMA annual conference will be held in Spring rather than Fall

The conference this year is all about trying new things. We are hoping to organize the conference into the following four tracks: Collections Care, Leadership, Emergency Preparedness, and Tourism

Check our website for more details in early 2025

The OMA newsletter is emailed every month with updates on OMA events, museum news, other events, trainings, jobs, grants and more for the museum community in Oregon.

For more information, please email connect@oregonmuseums.org.

October 1 - October 4, 2025

Western Museums Association’s (WMA) 2025 Annual Meeting

TBA

Reno, Nevada

Save the Date for WMA 202

As we celebrate our 90th anniversary, join us to build relationships and soar higher than ever before. With the theme of ELEVATE, WMA 2025 will explore ways to lift up the experiences of cultural professionals and the communities they serve.

In Reno, Nevada, 4,400 feet above sea level, we will forward the progress of museums by looking to the future.

May 6 - May 9, 2025

2025 American Alliance of Museums (AAM) ANNUAL MEETING & MUSEUMEXPO

Los Angeles Convention Center

Los Angeles, California

AAM 2025 will focus on the theme, Museums & Trust.

Museums have long inspired high levels of public trust, surpassing news outlets, government organizations, researchers and scientists, corporations, and social media platforms. This consistent finding underscores our institutions’ unique position in society as stewards of knowledge, culture, science, and history—areas where credibility and reliability are paramount

In an era marked by mistrust and misinformation, museums have a rare ability to counterbalance the proliferation of false narratives and polarized perspectives. Using our trusted position, we can cultivate a more healthy, empathetic, and informed society.

But to do so, we must maintain our credibility proactively, embracing thoughtful, transparent, and collaborative practices that will defend against influences like bias, resource challenges, abuse of power, and social injustice

An Incredible MuseumExpo

AAM is again partnering this year with the Museum Store Association to host an incredible combined expo hall. Find the most innovative services, products, and solutions in the museum field. With 350 exhibitors, you are bound to find the right partner for your museum’s current challenges and opportunities.

May 5 - May 9, 2025

Museum Store Association FORWARD 2025 in LA

The Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles, California

Join MSA in LA

We’re excited about our next MSA FORWARD Conference & Expo in “The City of Angels” – Los Angeles, California in conjunction with the American Alliance of Museums

Join the Museum Store Association (MSA) and hundreds of nonprofit retail professionals for the 70th Annual MSA FORWARD Retail Conference & Expo, taking place May 5-9, 2025 at The Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California

Once again, MSA FORWARD will be held in conjunction with the 2025 American Alliance of Museums (AAM) Annual Meeting & Expo

Learn best practices and new ideas for store merchandising, operations, marketing, and sale

Participate in dedicated networking events and create connections that will inspire new ideas

Meet with over 200 MSA vendors about your product needs

Hear from knowledgeable industry experts during session breakouts and keynote presentations

Network with AAM attendees and exhibitor

September 10 - September 13, 2025

2025 Am Assoc for State and Local History Annual Conference

TBD

Cincinnati, Ohio

The 2025 AASLH Annual Conference, in partnership with Ohio Local History Alliance, will take place as the history field makes the final preparations to kickoff off the 250th commemoration of the founding of the United States.

The 2025 conference theme, inspired by AASLH’s Making History at 250: The Field Guide for Semiquincentennial, is an opportunity to broadly explore one of the guide’s themes, The American Experiment. For many in the American colonies in 1776, independence from Britain represented a “leap into the dark” into an unknown future

We are excited for you to join us in Cincinnati as we encourage discussion about our democracy and civic institutions and how they can help strengthen understanding, inspire action, and reveal ways that all of us can participate in and shape the ongoing American experiment.

For more information, please call 615-320-3203 or email info@aaslh.org.