Naper Settlement

Naper Settlement is an outdoor history museum on 13 acres at 523 S. Webster Street in Naperville, at the southwest corner of Aurora Avenue and Webster Street, across from the City of Naperville Municipal Center. Established in 1969, it is run through a management agreement with the City of Naperville and governed by the Naperville Heritage Society, and the museum describes itself as nationally accredited. Its 34 historic structures, all but two of them moved to the campus from around Naperville and Illinois, bring Naperville history to life for families, school groups and anyone looking for things to do in Naperville.

In season, you can watch the blacksmith at the forge or sit in on a lesson in the one-room schoolhouse. The permanent exhibit Building Naperville: Tallgrass Prairie to Today, on the lower level of the Pre-Emption House, traces the people and places of Naperville, and the Thresher Experience brings a 1912 threshing machine to life with digital characters who tell the area’s farming story. Special exhibits rotate; the one running through December 2026 looks at Naperville’s place in the American story for the 250th anniversary of American independence. Exhibits are included in admission, and the museum’s Exhibits page shows what is on view.

Naper Settlement events include the Naper Nights summer concert series, Oktoberfest, Family STEM Nights, the 21+ Howlin’ at the Moon Halloween party and the daytime Family Spooktacular. Sensory Friendly Saturdays offer a calm hour with hands-on activities and sensory stations, and Golden Days programs are planned for adults 55+. Schools can book in-person, traveling or virtual field trips, and couples planning a Naper Settlement wedding can look at Century Memorial Chapel, which seats 150, is air-conditioned and has a wheelchair lift to the lower level.

Naper Settlement parking is free in the visitor lot at Porter Avenue and Webster Street, and the upper level of the Municipal Center lot is free after 5 PM and on weekends. As of October 2026, the museum’s Admission and Hours page lists free entry for members and for Naperville residents with proof of residency; see the website for current admission prices and online tickets. Hours change seasonally and many building interiors close in the off-season, so check napersettlement.org before you go. Some historic buildings have limited accessibility because of their age, so call ahead to plan.

For field trips, group tours, rentals or memberships, call (630) 420-6010. Special events are ticketed and buying in advance is recommended, so check the event calendar at napersettlement.org to see what is coming up next.