History

Exhibits

To encourage exploration of history at all age and interest levels, Naper Settlement has several types of exhibition galleries available for visitors as part of their tour experience.

Brushstrokes of the Past: Naperville's Story is a 3,500 square foot permanent exhibition gallery. A combination of artwork, artifacts, historic photographs and interactives are creatively interwoven to share Naperville's development from a frontier settlement to an established 20th century city. This exhibition is open year-round to visitors in the Pre-Emption House Visitor Center.

In the Heritage Gallery, temporary exhibitions on a variety of themes and topics are produced that highlight different pieces from the museum's artifact and archival collections, local artists and collectors, and traveling exhibitions. Naper Settlement offers between two to four changing exhibits each year, which are open year-round in our Pre-Emption House Visitor Center.

Geared toward children ages 3-10, but, fun for kids of all ages, the History Connection is a great place to explore the past and play with history through a number of engaging, hands-on activities. Try on clothes from the past, build a house with Lincoln Logs or magnetic blocks, or complete a craft related to the past. The History Connection is located in the Meeting House at Naper Settlement and is open during the Summer Season.