Naper Settlement presents the following virtual and in-person events and programs during April and May 2021. The museum is now in its Summer Hours and Admission season and is open Tuesday-Saturday from 10 AM-4 PM and Sunday from 1-4 PM. General museum admission is $10 for adults (13+), $8 for seniors (62+), and $7 for youth (4-12). Naperville residents with proof of residency, children under 4, and members are free.
For more information about a specific event or program or to purchase museum admission tickets, visit www.NaperSettlement.org.
Guided Walking Tours
Tours begin April 1
Sign up for a tour in the Pre-Emption House Visitor Center
Explore Naper Settlement’s campus and learn about the museum’s more than 30 buildings in this historical guided tour. Please visit the Pre-Emption House Visitor Center to view the available tour times and to sign up for a tour.
Guided Tour of the Martin Mitchell Mansion
Tours begin April 1
Sign up for a tour in the Pre-Emption House Visitor Center
In this guided tour, you will view this elegant, yet functional, Victorian home restored to its original splendor. Please visit the Pre-Emption House Visitor Center to view the available tour times and to sign up for a tour.
Harvard Early Learning Playscape
Open April 1 – October 31
Included in general admission | Sign up online for a 90-minute time slot
Nestled in a replica of a wooden fort, the Harvard Early Learning Playscape is designed for children ages 2-7 to explore the outdoors in a setting created just for them. The Playscape playground and splash pad provide opportunities for early childhood physical, imaginative, and social development while promoting increased connections to the natural environment, local history, and community engagement. Please note: The water features in the Splash Pad are turned on between May 15 and September 30 on days that the temperature is above 70 degrees. Please sign up online for a 90-minute time slot to the Playscape when you register for Naper Settlement general admission tickets.
Playscape Readers: Peter Rabbit
Wednesday, April 7 • 1 PM
Free virtual children’s program on Naper Settlement’s Facebook
Playscape Readers is going to the garden, Mr. McGregor’s garden to be exact. Join Naper Settlement for The Tale of Peter Rabbit, a busy bunny with a taste for turnips.
Wednesday Walking Club
Wednesdays, April 7 – October 27 • 8-9 AM
Free drop-in program for all ages | Those under 18 must be accompanied by an adult
Imagine yourself in another place and time as you walk through Naper Settlement’s beautiful museum grounds. To participate, register/check-in at the front desk of the Pre-Emption House Visitor Center any Wednesday morning at 8 AM. After check-in, choose your route through the museum grounds, downtown Naperville, or the Riverwalk. After your walk, return to the Pre-Emption House to log your minutes. Minutes accrue toward prizes, including Naper Settlement swag and a Naper Nights or a History Speaks ticket.
Weed Ladies Spring Sale
April 8 – 10 • 10 AM-4 PM and April 11 • 1-4 PM
Located in the Daniels House at Naper Settlement | Free to attend the sale
The Weed Ladies Spring Sale features creative seasonal floral arrangements. Each one-of-a-kind silk or dried floral creation has been designed by the Weed Ladies volunteer group. Proceeds benefit the Naperville Heritage Society. Masks are required to attend the sale.
History Speaks: Visual Cultures of WWII Japanese Incarceration
Sunday, April 11 • 4-5 PM
Virtual lecture on Zoom | $10 per person | Purchase Tickets
One of the darkest chapters in modern American history is the WWII-era Japanese Internment camps. This lecture examines the historical background of this period—the government’s role, the war era, and the plight of the victims. The lecture includes examples of art, craft, and cultural production made in and about the experience. Attendees will gain an understanding of this traumatic episode in our history––one that concerned America’s treatment of immigrants in a time of global conflict––through objects that show great humanity and even creative heroism. The lecture is led by Mark Pohlad, PhD, Associate Professor of Art History at DePaul University.
3rd Thursday Thinkers: Life Cycle of Plants
Thursday, April 15 • 1 PM
Free virtual children’s program on Naper Settlement’s Facebook
Naper Settlement’s museum educator will help you learn all about the life cycle of plants and how to grow your own nutritious foods at home.
Flavors of the Past: Buckwheat Pancakes
Friday, April 16 • 7 PM
Free virtual program for all ages on Naper Settlement’s Facebook
Join Naper Settlement’s chefs of the past as they share a recipe for buckwheat pancakes.
4th Thursday Pop-Up: Arti-Fact or Fiction: Botany Edition
Thursday, April 22 • 7 PM
Free virtual program for all ages on Naper Settlement’s Facebook
This month’s 4th Thursday Pop-Up is in honor of Earth Day and Arbor Day! Join the Learning Experiences team for Arti-Fact or Fiction: Botany Edition as they focus on the local environment. Can you guess the historical use for local foliage, or will the team plant a seed of doubt?
Playscape Readers: The Funny Duckling
Wednesday, May 5 • 1 PM
Free virtual children’s program on Naper Settlement’s Facebook
Mother’s Day, the day when we celebrate our moms and other adults who take care of us, is right around the corner. Join Naper Settlement for a special story about a mother’s love! Playscape Readers will read the story of The Funny Duckling – a new twist on Hans Christian Andersen’s beloved tale, The Ugly Duckling.
History Speaks: The Codebreaker and the POW: A Family Legacy of WWII
Sunday, May 9 • 4-5 PM
Virtual lecture on Zoom | $10 per person | Purchase Tickets
In 1942, one of the darkest years of WWII, Lt. Charles Baugh became a Navy codebreaker in Washington, D.C. His father, Richmond Baugh, was taken prisoner on Corregidor Island in the Philippines and spent 2.5 years in a Japanese POW camp. In this gripping family saga, Ms. Baugh recounts the heroic work of military and civilian codebreakers, and the brutal struggle to liberate the Philippine Islands. L. Sue Baugh received her BA from the University of Iowa, her MFA from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and has edited and written history materials for several major publishers. Her talk was inspired by the recently uncovered story of her family’s WWII experiences in the U.S. Navy Codebreakers Unit and in the Philippines during the Japanese occupation.
Flavors of the Past: Scrapple
Friday, May 14 • 7 PM
Free virtual program for all ages on Naper Settlement’s Facebook
What’s cooking over the fire? You have probably heard of Scrabble, but have you ever heard of scrapple? Learn how to turn your leftovers into this delicious dish!
3rd Thursday Thinkers: Birds
Thursday, May 20 • 1 PM
Free virtual children’s program on Naper Settlement’s Facebook
This 3rd Thursday Thinkers is for the birds! Join Naper Settlement to learn about some fun birds in your own back yard and discover how to make a bird feeder to help our feathered friends.
About Naper Settlement
Naper Settlement is a nationally accredited, award-winning outdoor living history museum set on 13 magnificent acres in the heart of Naperville. Located 30 miles from Chicago, the museum is home to thirty historical structures dating back as early as the 1830s. Featuring exhibits, special events, educational programming and more, Naper Settlement is where history comes alive and the community comes to connect. For more information, visit www.napersettlement.org or call (630) 420-6010.
