DuPage Children’s Museum 

301 N. Washington Street

Naperville, IL 60540

630-637-8000

Cost:	$8.50 per person (ages 1 to 59), $7.50 per senior (ages 60+),
	free for children under 1 year; coupon info. below under
	"Logistics"; memberships available

Ages welcome:	All ages (crowd is mostly younger toddlers to
	younger elementary-aged children)

Hours:	9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Monday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Tues.-Thurs.*
	9 a.m. – 8 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday,
	noon – 5 p.m. Sunday
	*On third Thurs. of every month, museum will be
	open 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Parent Comments & Ratings

PROS

Curious little minds will find plenty of stimulation at DuPage Children’s Museum. The museum has three floors full of ways for young ones to explore math, art and science. Several “exhibit neighborhoods” are set up throughout the building: Build It, Airworks, Make It Move, Creativity Connections, Math Connections and Waterways. There are also three Young Explorers neighborhoods, designed for children up to 24 months.

I don’t think my little guy was even walking the first time I took him to DuPage Children’s Museum. I had a great time watching him explore the exhibits set up for infants. I am always amazed when my son does something new, so taking him on his first trip to a museum was a lot of fun.

I’ve continued taking my son back to the museum, because there’s just so much for him to see and learn. And of course as he grows older, he interacts with the exhibits very differently. I guess what I’m most impressed with at DuPage Children’s Museum is how it excites children from the youngest of ages, and continues to engage them through their elementary years. I also like how its open layout allows easy access to all the exhibits, and I think it’s priced well for all it has to offer.

CONS

From time to time, I’ve visited the museum on days when group visits or field trips were taking place. It can get a little crowded in areas, and I’ve watched my son get pushed away from exhibits he was exploring. To me, it wasn’t a big deal. It was a chance for him to learn how to interact with older kids and how to handle himself when he doesn’t get his way! But if you’re looking for a more relaxed visit, just arrive earlier in the day or call ahead to find out if there are many activities planned for the day.

There’s no restaurant in the museum, so if you don’t want to bring a sack lunch, you’ll need to leave the building to find a place to eat. However, you can save your museum receipt and return when you’re done. On the positive side, they have a designated eating area in the lower level. It has plenty of tables, chairs, high chairs, and quite a variety of vending machines. It forces me to plan ahead for my visits, but also saves me money. And it’s easier for us to eat healthy with a sack lunch too!

LOGISTICS

Check out www.familytimemagazine.com, www.oakleesguide.com/coupons.html, and www.chicagoparent.com/coupons for coupons.

Remember to bring a sack lunch, as I mentioned above. Their designated eating area in the building’s lower level is very comfortable and even has a microwave you can use. The vending machines have a lot of snack options too. If you’d rather eat out, save your museum receipt and you can re-enter the museum anytime that day.

You may want to bring a change of clothes for your little one, as well. They have aprons for the kids in the water area, but my son always manages to get soaked.

Several membership packages are available. If you frequent many of the children’s museums in the area, you may want to consider the reciprocal program set up by the Association of Children’s Museums. With one annual membership, you receive free admission to 165 museums nationwide and 12 Illinois museums, including the Chicago Children’s Museum, Kohl Children’s Museum, DuPage Children’s Museum and several others in the Chicago area. You can sign up at any of the participating museums.

DuPage Children’s Museum offers discounted rates for groups of 15 people or more (adults and children combined). They also have birthday party packages available. Visit their Website for more information.

Website: http://www.dupagechildrensmuseum.org/