Naper Settlement presents the following events and programs during July 2023. The museum is open Tuesday-Saturday from 10AM-4PM and Sunday from 1-4PM with general museum admission $12 for adults (13+), $10 for seniors (62+), and $8 for youth (4-12). Naperville residents with proof of residency, children under 4, and members receive complimentary admission.
Gettysburg Day
1-4PM Sunday, July 2 – Included in general admission
Naper Settlement’s Gettysburg Day will commemorate the 160th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg. Visit Naper Settlement to experience life in Naperville during the crucial summer of 1863. Hear Lincoln deliver his famous Gettysburg Address, visit a house in mourning over a fallen soldier, experience the fashion of the day with a Civil War era fashion show, and visit the museum’s featured exhibit, “Infrastructure: Creating 19th Century Clothing Then and Now.” Children ages 6-13 can pre-register to learn how to drill like a Civil War soldier. Please note: drilling includes the use of wooden toy muskets.
Origins of Naperville Walking Tour
5:30-6:30PM Thursday, July 6 & 27 – $15/person; free for children under 4
Listen to stories from Naperville’s founding to the generosity of Caroline Martin Mitchell on a walking tour of the west side of downtown Naperville. The tour lasts approximately 60 minutes and covers about two miles. Open to all ages. Pre-registration is required.
Fix It Friday Sewing Class with BERNINA of Naperville: Upcycling your Favorite Garment
8:30-10AM Friday, July 7 – $15/person (18+)
Do you have an old sweater that you can’t bear to part with? What about a hoodie or T-shirt? This class is all about giving a sentimental item a new life and a new purpose. BERNINA of Naperville will provide hands-on training to show participants how to sew those items into pillows, wall art, and more. Must be 18+ to participate. Pre-registration is required.
Teaching Unvarnished Workshop at Illinois State University Alumni Center
8:30AM-5:30PM Wednesday, July 12 – Free to Illinois middle and high school teachers with application
This full-day teacher professional development workshop is FREE to Illinois middle and high school teachers. The workshop will feature the online exhibit UNVARNISHED: Housing Discrimination in the Northern and Western United States and its Educator Resources. Digging deeper into the Illinois housing story, the workshop will also feature a traveling exhibit that models a deep dive into local history. To view the online exhibit and teacher resources, please visit UnvarnishedHistory.org. To register for the workshop, you must be an Illinois middle or high school (grades 6-12) educator.
Town and Gown Walking Tour
5:30-6:30PM Thursday, July 13 – $15/person; free for children under 4
Explore the east side of downtown Naperville and learn about the ways the community developed along with North Central College. The tour lasts approximately 60 minutes and covers about two miles. Open to all ages. Pre-registration is required.
Naper Nights Community Concert Series
5-10PM Friday, July 14 & Saturday, July 15 – $20/adult (13+), $15/youth (4-12)
Get ready for cold drinks, great food, and fabulous music! Naper Nights celebrates historic milestones in music and pop culture with themed tribute concerts throughout the summer. On July 14, enjoy a Red Hot Chili Peppers tribute by Red NOT Chili Peppers and a tribute to Foo Fighters by Fooz Fighters. July 15 will include a tribute to Green Day by The American Idiots and a Weezer tribute by Weeze. For more information and tickets, visit NaperNights.org.
Teaching Unvarnished Workshop at Northern Illinois University Naperville Conference Center
8AM-5PM Monday, July 17 – Free to Illinois middle and high school teachers with application
See listing for description on Wednesday, July 12.
Downtown Naperville Architecture Walking Tour
5:30-6:30PM Thursday, July 20 • 5:30-6:30 PM – $15/person; free for children under 4
Learn about the important and interesting architecture from the 1800s to today that makes downtown Naperville a beautiful place to live, work, and play. The tour lasts approximately 60 minutes and covers about two miles. Open to all ages. Pre-registration is required.
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-one 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 info, visit www.napersettlement.org or call (630) 420-6010.
