Naper Settlement

Naper Settlement is an award-winning, outdoor history museum offering visitors 13 acres of educational programs, exhibits, guided tours, and special events. Whether watching the blacksmith at the forge or sitting down for a lesson in our one-room schoolhouse, visitors are immersed in history as they learn about the past and how it relates to the present. Explore our interactive exhibits including Building Naperville: Tallgrass Prairie to Today and the new Thresher Experience.

Established in 1969, Naper Settlement, through a management agreement with the City of Naperville, operates under the direction and governance of the Naperville Heritage Society, whose mission is to “document, preserve and interpret the community life of Naperville, Illinois, including, but not limited to the social, political and business history.”

Naper Settlement is located on 13 acres that were originally part of the George Martin estate. There were pine trees original to the site; hence, the mansion and grounds were originally called “Pine Craig.” The site’s two original buildings are an 1883 mansion and a carriage house, which underwent a complete restoration from 2000-2003. All other historic buildings were moved to the museum campus from various locations throughout Naperville and Illinois.