The western suburbs of Chicago offer an impressive collection of museums that rival many found in the city itself. From historic homes and military museums to interactive children's centers and unique specialty collections, western Chicago neighborhoods really do offer something for any area of interest!

Whether you're a longtime resident of our luxury Chicago apartments or are new to the area, these 26 museums showcase the rich history, art and culture of Chicago's western communities.

Museums in Chicago's Western Suburbs

Oak Park River Forest Museum

The Oak Park River Forest Museum on Lake Street in Oak Park serves as the cornerstone of local history preservation. Opened in 2017 in a restored 1898 firehouse, this museum earned recognition as Illinois Small Museum of the Year shortly after opening. The museum features rotating exhibits about local history, including displays on Oak Park River Forest High School, the Fair Housing Act and the many famous residents who called the area home. One particularly engaging feature is their LEGO scavenger hunt, where visitors search for miniature figures of notable locals hidden throughout the exhibits!

Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio

Architecture enthusiasts will want to visit the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio on Chicago Avenue in Oak Park. Built in 1889, Wright lived and worked here for two decades while developing his revolutionary Prairie School architectural style. The home served as both his residence and an experimental laboratory for his design ideas, and visitors can tour the original architectural studio where Wright and his associates created some of America's most influential building designs.

Ernest Hemingway Birthplace Museum

Literary fans shouldn't miss the Ernest Hemingway Birthplace Museum, also located in Oak Park. This museum preserves the early life story of the Nobel Prize-winning author and offers insight into his formative years before he became one of America's most celebrated writers.

Trailside Museum of Natural History

In River Forest, the Trailside Museum of Natural History occupies a historic 1876 mansion in the equally scenic Thatcher Woods. Established in 1932 as the Forest Preserves' first public nature education facility, the museum displays exhibits on native animals, colorful wildflower gardens and information about local wildlife habitats, with the forest preserve setting itself adding to the overall educational experience.

West Town Museum of Cultural History

The West Town Museum of Cultural History in Maywood preserves the often-overlooked histories of the Maywood and Proviso Townships. Created to honor the legacy of George E. Stone and his Operation UpLift organization, the museum houses significant artifacts including slave manacles and photographs documenting the first African-American family to own a home in Maywood.

16 Inch Softball Hall of Fame Museum

Sports enthusiasts will especially appreciate the 16 Inch Softball Hall of Fame Museum in Forest Park! This specialized museum celebrates the uniquely Chicago sport of 16-inch softball and sits near where the No-Gloves National Championships are played, making it an essential destination for fans of this regional pastime.

Elmhurst History Museum

Founded in 1957 and housed in the historic 1892 Glos Mansion, the award-winning Elmhurst History Museum engages visitors with the area's local history through its collections and rotatng exhibits. The museum also operates the Churchville Schoolhouse, which is one of the only remaining one-room schoolhouses on its original site and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Elmhurst Art Museum

The Elmhurst Art Museum, located in Wilder Park, focuses on contemporary and modern art. A highlight of the museum is the McCormick House, designed and built by modernist architect Mies van der Rohe, and the museum presents rotating contemporary art exhibitions throughout the year, making it a dynamic cultural destination that changes with each visit.

Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art

One of the most unique museums in the entire Chicago area is the Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art, which relocated from Elmhurst to Kensington Road in Oak Brook in 2019. Founded by Joseph Lizzadro in 1962, it remains the only museum in the United States dedicated entirely to lapidary art — as in, the cutting and polishing of precious stones. The collection includes remarkable pieces such as the Altar of the Green Jade Pagoda, an 18-karat gold sculpture called Castle Lizzadro and Ming Dynasty jade pieces. As a Smithsonian affiliate, the museum maintains exceptionally high standards for its exhibitions and educational programs, so it's well worth the visit whether you're a lapidarist or not!

Billy Graham Center Museum

Wheaton College campus houses the Billy Graham Center Museum, which is devoted to the life of Billy Graham, the history of Christian evangelism and both of their influences on American society. Opened in 1980, the museum features artifacts from Billy Graham's worldwide ministry, stunning tapestries depicting Gospel witnesses and a walk-through Gospel presentation that provides a multi-sensory experience for visitors.

First Division Museum at Cantigny

Military history comes alive at the First Division Museum at Cantigny in Wheaton. Opened in 1958 on the former estate of Chicago Tribune publisher Robert McCormick, the museum focuses on the U.S. Army's First Infantry Division. With approximately 14,000 artifacts including weapons, uniforms and medals, the museum offers comprehensive coverage of the Big Red One's history while sitting within the 500-acre Cantigny Park, providing a beautiful setting for this military tribute.

DuPage County Historical Museum

Also in Wheaton, the DuPage County Historical Museum showcases the architectural and cultural history of DuPage County from the 1830s to today. Through hundreds of historic artifacts and photographs, visitors can trace the development of the western suburbs from rural farmland to thriving communities!

Marion E. Wade Library

Calling all book lovers — academic and literary enthusiasts will find the Marion E. Wade Library at Wheaton College particularly fascinating. This research collection and museum focuses on C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and other members of the Inklings literary group, housing original writings and artifacts from these influential authors.

Cleve Carney Museum of Art

The Cleve Carney Museum of Art at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn brings contemporary art exhibitions to the community college setting, making art more accessible to students and the public alike.

Glen Ellyn Historical Society Museums

The Glen Ellyn community maintains its local history through the Glen Ellyn Historical Society museums, which include sites like the historic Stacy's Tavern Museum, preserving the area's past as a stagecoach stop and early settlement.

Museums at Lisle Station Park

The Museums at Lisle Station Park offer a glimpse into local railroad and community history through its restored buildings, which include a historic train station! These museums provide insight into how the railroad and the industrial revolution shaped suburban development in the area.

Jurica-Suchy Nature Museum

Tucked away at Benedictine University, the Jurica Nature Museum houses geological specimens and natural history displays that serve both educational and research purposes for students and the public. Bonus points for being close to our Woodridge apartments near Seven Bridges!

La Grange Area Historical Society Museum

In La Grange, the La Grange Area Historical Society Museum operates from the Vial House on La Grange Road. Try saying that ten times fast!

Founded in 1972, the society maintains extensive archives including newspaper clippings dating back to the 1890s, and these archives are available for public research, making it a valuable resource for anyone interested in local history or genealogy.

Riverside Museum

The Riverside Museum preserves the history of this so-named planned community (one of the first designed suburbs in America) and offers insights into early suburban development and community planning.

DuPage Children's Museum

The DuPage Children's Museum in Naperville has been inspiring young, curious minds for over 35 years! With three floors of interactive learning neighborhoods, children can explore hands-on exhibits focused on building, creativity, math and science, with the museum designing its experiences for children up to age 10, making it a perfect destination for families with young children.

Naper Settlement

Naper Settlement brings Naperville's 19th-century heritage to life through an outdoor history museum village. With multiple historic buildings and costumed interpreters, visitors can experience what life was like in a prairie town, and the settlement offers an immersive historical experience that goes beyond traditional museum displays.

Aurora Regional Fire Museum

The Aurora Regional Fire Museum occupies Aurora's original Central Fire Station, an 1894 Victorian building in downtown Aurora. The museum displays vintage fire trucks, including a Chicago fire pumper, and features an interactive children's discovery room where young visitors can learn about fire safety and the history of firefighting. The building itself, having served as Aurora's central fire station, adds authenticity to the firefighting story.

Downers Grove Museum

The Downers Grove Museum, operated by the Downers Grove Park District, preserves local history dating all the way back to Pierce Downer's 1832 settlement. The museum also received recognition from the Association of Midwest Museums for their restoration work on the 1846 Blodgett House. Beyond exhibits, the museum also maintains a public research library containing genealogies, census records and local archives, making it a valuable resource for local historical research.

Graue Mill and Museum

The Graue Mill and Museum in Oak Brook's Fullersburg Woods represents a remarkable piece of living history.

Built in 1852 by Frederick Graue, this water-powered gristmill holds the distinction of being the only operating waterwheel gristmill in Illinois. The mill also served as a station on the Underground Railroad, adding another layer to its historical significance, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the mill still grinds grain using its original French buhrstones, with visitors able to purchase freshly ground cornmeal during their visit.

Hinsdale History Museum

The Hinsdale History Museum has been preserving local history since 1975. Housed in a historic home, the museum features seven restored period rooms depicting middle-class family life in Hinsdale between 1874 and 1900, and the Hinsdale Historical Society maintains this and other historic properties in the village, including buildings designed by local architect R. Harold Zook.

Flagg Creek Heritage Society

In Burr Ridge, the Flagg Creek Heritage Society on the Pleasant Dale Park District grounds preserves the history of the Flagg Creek area from Potawatomi settlements through to its early pioneer days. The museum complex includes the Robert Vial House, built in 1856, which was moved to the park district property and restored as a testament to early settlement in the area.

Museums in Chicago - Google My Maps

From historic homes and military museums to interactive children's centers and unique specialty collections, Chicago's neighborhoods really do offer something for any area of interest!

Planning your museum visits

These museums scattered through Chicago's western suburbs offer incredible diversity in their collections and focus areas, reflecting the area's evolution from prairie settlements to railroad towns to modern suburban communities and beyond. Each museum contributes to preserving and sharing this rich heritage, whether through grand collections like those at Cantigny and the Lizzadro Museum, or through small but significant local history societies that maintain community memories.

For families, the combination of interactive children's museums, nature centers and historical sites provides educational opportunities that make learning engaging and fun. Art lovers can explore contemporary works in Elmhurst and Glen Ellyn, while history buffs can dive deep into military, local and social history across multiple venues.

The concentration of museums in the western suburbs means visitors can easily plan themed tours, perhaps focusing on architecture with visits to Frank Lloyd Wright's home and the various historic houses, or creating a family day combining the DuPage Children's Museum with nearby Naper Settlement. The proximity of these cultural institutions to each other makes it possible to visit multiple museums in a single day, though each deserves time for thorough exploration.

These museums collectively tell the story of the western suburbs—from Native American settlements through pioneer days, from the railroad boom to suburban development, from local stories to connections with world history. They preserve not just artifacts and buildings, but the memories and experiences that shaped these communities into what they are today.

Enjoy visiting them!

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Featured photo by Etienne Girardet on Unsplash