Family: Morton Arboretum
March 14, 2013 11:24AM
Updated: March 15, 2013 6:43AM
MUSEUMS
Air Classics Museum: A flying museum with an aircraft collection, teaching events and hands-on exhibits. Hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Admission is $8 for adults, $5 for seniors and children ages 6 to 16. At the Aurora Municipal Airport, 44W546 Route 30, Sugar Grove. Call (630) 466-0888 or visit airclassicsmuseum.org.
Aurora Regional Fire Museum: Exhibit: Getting There — Getting Water — Getting Rescued: 150 years of the tools and technology used to fight fires and save lives. Museums Un-Crated: An inside look at how and why museums collect, use, and preserve things. Hours are 1 to 4 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for children ages 12 and younger. At 53 N. Broadway, corner of New York Street and Broadway (Route 25), downtown Aurora. Call (630) 892-1572 or visit auroraregionalfiremuseum.org.
Aurora Historical Society Pierce Art & History Center: Bagpipes, tunes on an Irish bouzouki, traditional nibbles and an array of suitable brews, 5-8 p.m. March 15. Flavors of Aurora: Stirred, Not Shaken. Irish culture, to April 12. Dinosaurs: the Art and Science of Paleontology, to May 3. Resources for 175 years of Aurora history. Hours are noon to 4 p.m. Wednesdays to Fridays. Admission is free. At 20 E. Downer, Aurora. Call (630) 906-0650 or visit aurorahistory.net.
DuPage County Historical Museum: Exhibits: Enduring Values in a Changing Landscape, 150 years of DuPage history. All Aboard and HO Gauge Model Railroad. Early Illinois Folk Art, 1825–1925. April 13–Sept. 15. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays to Fridays and noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. The trains run at 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. on the third and fifth Saturdays each month. Admission is $4 for adults and $2 for children and students. At 102 E. Wesley St., Wheaton. Call (630) 665-4710 or visit dupagemuseum.org.
Elgin Public Museum: Admission is $2 for adults and $1 for children ages 3 to 11. Hours: 12 to 4 p.m. Sundays. At 225 Grand Blvd., in Lords Park. Call (847) 741-6655 or visit elginpublicmuseum.org.
Geneva History Center: Exhibit: Greetings from Geneva: A Trip through History. Hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays to Saturdays and noon to 4 p.m. Sundays. Admission is free. At 113 S. Third St., Geneva. Call (630) 232-4951 or visit genevahistorycenter.org.
Illinois Railway Museum: Closed until April. At 7000 Olson Road, Union (McHenry County). Call (815) 923-4000 or visit irm.org.
Joliet Area Historical Museum: Exhibits: Strike Up the Band — celebrates high school bands. The Soaring Achievements of John C. Houbolt, Joliet resident and space program pioneer. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays to Saturdays, Noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. Closed Mondays, except Martin Luther King’s Birthday, Presidents Day, and Columbus Day. Admission is $6 adults, $5 seniors (60+), $4 students, $3 children 4-17. At 204 N. Ottawa Street, Joliet. Call (815) 723-5201 ext. 226 or visit jolietmuseum.org.
Kidswork Children’s Museum: Exhibits: 1-2-3 Let’s Weave, Pinscreen, Imagine Theater, etc. Hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays to Fridays, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays. Admission is $6 for adults and kids; $5 for seniors. In the Trolley Barn, 11 S. White Street, Frankfort. Call (815) 469-1199 or visit kidsworkchildrensmuseum.org.
SciTech Hands-On Museum: Hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays to Fridays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays. Closed Sundays. Admission is $8 for adults and children age 4 and up and $7 for seniors. At 18 W. Benton St., Aurora. Call (630) 859-3434 or visit scitechmuseum.org.
Will County Historical Society: Hours are noon to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays. Admission is $3 for adults, $2 for seniors/students/military with ID, and $1 for children, ages 6 to 17. At 803 S. State St., Lockport. Call (815) 838-5080. Visit willcountyhistory.org.
OUTDOORS
MapleFest: Red Oak Nature Center will be offering an early, sweet taste of spring starting at 9 a.m. March 16, when the annual MapleFest takes place. Free. Tours will run every hour 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Maple-themed treats and hot beverages will be available for a small fee. At Route 25 in North Aurora, one mile north of Route 56. Call (630) 897-1808 or visit foxvalleyparkdistrict.org.
Get Sticky! Maple Syrup Sundays: See the steps of making maple syrup at Fullersburg Woods Nature Education Center, noon to 4 p.m. March 17. Free. At 3609 Spring Road. Call (630) 850-8110.
Cantigny Park: Spring Exhibit: Conflict Zone, First Division Museum, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to April 15. Collection of images from the front lines of Iraq and Afghanistan. Admission is free. Park hours are 7 a.m. to sunset. The First Division Museum are open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays to Sundays. Parking fees are $5 per car. At 1S151 Winfield Road, Wheaton. Call (630) 668-5161 or visit cantigny.org.
Cosley Zoo: New bobcat exhibit. Open daily year round. See website for current hours. Admission is $3 for adults, $2 for seniors. At 1356 N. Gary Ave., Wheaton. Call (630) 665-5534 or visit cosleyzoo.org.
Horse-Drawn Sleigh Rides: Take a 15-minute ride through the woodlands of Danada Forest Preserve as you learn about its history. Wagons are used if there is less than four inches of packed snow on the trail. Noon–3 p.m. Sundays at Danada Equestrian Center, 3S507 Naperville Road, Wheaton. $5 ages 13 and up; $2 ages 5–12; under 5 free. Call (630) 668-6012.
Garfield Farm Museum: Tours by appointment year round. Tour season is June to September 1 to 4 p.m. Wednesdays and Sundays. Located 5 miles west of Geneva off ILL Route 38 on Garfield Road. Call (630) 584-8485 or visit garfieldfarm.org.
Little White School Museum: Exhibit: History of Oswego. Free. Hours are noon to 4 p.m. Mondays to Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursdays and Saturdays. At Jackson and Polk Street, Oswego. Call (630) 554-2999 or visit littlewhiteschoolmuseum.org.
Morton Arboretum: Maple Tapping and Pancake Picnics, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. March 16. $18 for members, $25 for nonmembers. Register at mortonarb.org/calendar. Open daily. Check website for hours and activities. Admission is $12 for ages 18 to 64, $11 for seniors, $9 for children ages 2 to 17. At 4100 Route 53, Lisle. Call (630) 968-0074 or visit mortonarb.org.
Naper Settlement: Through March, hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday to Friday. Admission is $5.25 adults, $4.75 seniors and $4 youth 4-17. Gen. admission is free to Naperville residents. At 523 S. Webster St., Naperville. Call (630) 420-6010 or visit napersettlement.org.
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