Wheaton, Illinois

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.

Glencoe, Illinois

Botanical Garden, Science

With "wows" around every corner, the Chicago Botanic Garden is a 385-acre living museum featuring 23 display gardens, including Evening Island, Fruit & Vegetable, Japanese and English Walled. Ths mission of the Chicago Botanic Garden is to promote the enjoyment, understanding and conservation of plants and the natural world.

Rochelle, Illinois

Archaeology, Art, Culture, General, History, Library, Natural History, Science, Specialized

The Flagg Township Museum has over 20,000 prehistoric and historic artifacts and we are getting more each day. All of our artifacts are unique testaments to life in the Flagg Township area. Some of our most notable artifacts include the Partin-Palmer automobile, the Linotype used to print the first five issues of Playboy, meteorite, uniforms from the Civil and World Wars, prehistoric stone tools, and 18th-20th century women's and men's clothing.

Peoria, Illinois

Botanical Garden, Nature Centers, Park, Science

Surround yourself with spectacular displays of spring blooming bulbs or the blazing color of autumn, the Garden offers a tranquil setting to enjoy the beauty of each passing season. Established in 1951, Luthy Botanical Garden encompasses five acres and offers over a dozen theme gardens, a Conservatory, a garden gift shop educational programming, numerous events, a rotating sculpture exhibit and magnificent floral displays.

Decatur, Illinois

General, History, Science, Specialized

Exhibits, artifacts, and research library document the life and business of the Mueller family. Pioneers in the development of the automobile, Hieronymus and his children hald patents on the water cooled radiator, spark plug, and variable speed transmission. The Mueller family also invented plumbing and gas equipment. Displays at the museum highlight his inventive genius and the successful business he developed.

Chicago, Illinois

Art, History, Science

Rockford, Illinois

Arboretum, Botanical Garden, Children's, Library, Nature Centers, Park, Science

Klehm Arboretum & Botanic Garden is a 155-acre living museum filled with spectacular gardens and rare trees. There's beauty in every season from fragrant magnolia trees in spring and a butterfly garden in summer to the brilliant colors of fall and snow-capped evergreens in winter.

Macomb, Illinois

Science

Springfield, Illinois

History, Science

The National Museum of Surveying, Inc. is the only museum of its kind in the country. Located in Springfield, Illinois north of the Old State Capitol, it is the perfect addition to Springfield and its history. Inside the museum are exhibits of surveying tools from Lincoln's time, an educational mini-theater, and a 55 ft floor to ceiling mural depicting surveying from the Egyptian rope stretchers to Abraham Lincoln. In addition, The National Museum of Surveying, Inc. is home to the Science on a Sphere® (SOS). SOS is a room-sized globe developed by NOAA (The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration).

DeKalb, Illinois

Anthropology, Archaeology, Culture, History, Library, Science, University

The Anthropology Museum houses over 12,000 ethnographic and archaeological objects. The ethnographic collection has regional strengths in Southeast Asia, New Guinea, and the plains and southwest regions of North America. Ethnographic specimens from Africa, Mesoamerica, and South America are also represented.

River Grove, Illinois

Art, Science

North Chicago, Illinois

Anthropology, General, History, Library, Science, Specialized, University

FEET FIRST: THE SCHOLL STORY, a one-of-a-kind exhibit dedicated to Dr. William Mathias Scholl and to the amazing structures that are our feet. This permanent exhibit is housed at the Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine at Rosalind Franklin University.

Shirley, Illinois

Culture, History, Historic House, Science, Specialized

At the Funk Prairie Home Museum, our mission is to take you back in time to the good old days. We guarantee you'll find the tours fascinating and entertaining. We're proud of our educational and entertaining presentations and the preservation of the Funk Family legacy. The tours move along quickly, and time flies at the Prairie Home. The incredible stories of the early days of the Funk Family will leave you enthralled!

Cahokia, Illinois

General, History, Library, Military, Science, Specialized

The Greater St. Louis Air & Space Museum, a place where even the building is historic, and where the single visitor is given a personal tour by a knowledgeable volunteer. This museum deserves a visit by anyone claiming to be an aviation enthusiast, much less an historian. The airport, originally opened in 1929 as the Curtiss-Steinberg Airport, was founded in part by the Curtiss-Wright Company. The museum was welcomed by the airport after the original location at Spirit Airport in the Chesterfield Valley was virtually wiped out by the great flood of 1993. The move to Cahokia added considerably to the historical atmosphere of the museum, as will soon become evident.

Springfield, Illinois

Library, Science

Lisle, Illinois

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.

Peoria, Illinois

Art, Children's, Science

Chicago, Illinois

Anthropology, Arboretum, Archaeology, Children's, Natural History, Nature Centers, Science

Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry, one of the largest science museums in the world, is home to more than 35,000 artifacts and 400,000 square feet of hands-on exhibits designed to spark scientific inquiry and creativity.

Chicago, Illinois

Science

Champaign, Illinois

Children's, Historic House, Science

At the Orpheum Children's Science Museum, we inspire, engage and educate children through exploration of science and the arts. We are a founding member of the Museums at the Crossroads, which raises awareness of the museums of Champaign County.