Are you looking to plan a family excursion that’s equal parts fun and educational? You’re in luck. The area in and around Warrenville features an abundance of museums, art centers, and more ready to take your family outing to the next level.

Whether you’re looking to plan a short trip within an hour’s drive from home or you want to plan for a longer adventure, Crème de la Crème of Warrenville has a recommendation for you. Here are eight cool educational destinations every local family should explore.

Warrenville Historical Society

You don’t have to leave Warrenville to treat the kids to a fun and educational excursion. After all, the Warrenville Historical Society aims to educate the community about Warrenville’s history while collecting, preserving, and displaying objects and documents to illustrate our history.

Just visit the Warrenville Historical Museum & Art Gallery, located at 3S530 Second St., when you’re looking to enjoy a family outing. You can check out art and exhibits about Warrenville history by scheduling a tour or visiting on Wednesdays and Sundays between 1 and 3 p.m.

Air Classics Museum of Aviation

If your kids are into airplanes and flight, you’ll want to make the quick trip from Warrenville to Sugar Grove. That’s where you’ll find the Air Classics Museum of Aviation, sure to delight kids and adults alike. The museum boasts a collection of aircraft, vehicles, uniforms, and other aviation memorabilia, giving a unique glimpse into aviation history from the 1930s to the present day.

The museum is open for general admission on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and you can also reserve a group tour ahead of time. You’ll find the museum at Aurora Municipal Airport, located at Veterans Memorial Parkway, 44W546 U.S. Route 30 in Sugar Grove.

Aurora Regional Fire Museum

“hanged bunkers suits” used with permission via Unsplash by mchesin

Or maybe it’s fire trucks that have your kids ooh-ing and ahh-ing? Then you’ll want to plan a trip to nearby Aurora. The Aurora Regional Fire Museum, situated in Aurora’s old Central Fire Station, boasts two floors of exhibits chronicling the history of the Aurora Fire Department and fire service in the region overall. Exhibits also educate about fire safety and prevention.

The museum, located at 53 N. Broadway in Aurora, offers tours and a variety of family-friendly educational programs. You can visit Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Riverside Arts Center

You won’t want to miss the Riverside Arts Center, better known as RAC, if your family is into art. The RAC has delivered a range of inspiring exhibitions, classes and workshops, and special events since 1993. Located in the heart of Historic Riverside, the RAC includes the Freeark Contemporary Art Gallery as well as various studio spaces.

The organization offers art classes for kids and adults, and you’ll find an assortment of work including ceramics, painting, photography, sculpture, video, and more when you visit the galleries, open Thursday through Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m. You’ll find the RAC at 32 E. Quincy St. in Riverside.

Chicago Children’s Museum

Warrenville’s proximity to Chicago translates to a wealth of cool educational destinations within easy reach. First up? Chicago Children’s Museum, an amazing place to visit with curious kids. The museum’s mission of improving children’s lives through a community that connects play and learning means you can look forward to a space designed to encourage experimentation and creativity.

With a focus on accessibility, inclusion, and the pursuit of childhood, this museum makes treating your family to a fun day of learning a breeze. You’ll find arts programs, STEM experiments, and so much more when you visit on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. The Chicago Children’s Museum is located at Navy Pier, at 700 E. Grand Ave. Suite 127 in Chicago.

Field Museum

Chicago’s Field Museum is another can’t-miss educational destination if you’re exploring with the kids. You don’t have to travel further than Chicago to take an amazing journey across time, exploring cultures from the past and present and learning about the latest scientific discoveries. Of course, your kiddos will love getting acquainted with the iconic dinosaurs here. SUE the T-Rex and Maximo the Titanosaur are ready to deliver a memorable experience.

The Field is located on Lake Michigan’s shore in Chicago’s Museum Campus, at 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive in Chicago. It’s open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Chicago Sports Museum

Chicago Sports Museum is yet another amazing educational opportunity in Chicago. You’ll want to add this museum to your itinerary if your kids are Chicago sports fans or just fans of sports in general. The interactive museum offers simulated experiences alongside relics and statistics to deliver a unique experience. Enjoy skill challenges and explore sports memorabilia, including game-used items, when you visit here.

The museum is located at Water Tower Place, Level 7, 835 N. Michigan Ave. in Chicago. It sometimes closes for private events, but regular hours are Monday through Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sundays from noon to 6 p.m.

Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail

This last destination requires more travel time, but if you’re into history or the great outdoors, no list of cool educational destinations would be complete without a mention of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. Stretching approximately 4,900 miles in total between Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and the mouth of the Columbia River near present-day Astoria, Oregon, this amazing trail follows the historic outbound and inbound routes of the Lewis and Clark Expedition and crosses through our home state.

The trails also include the preparatory section from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Wood River, Illinois, and includes various stops about four hours from the Warrenville area. So, if you want to plan an adventure that takes you on a trip through history, visit the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail.There you have it! Crème de la Crème of Warrenville just gave you eight amazing educational destinations to check out. Do you have another favorite place we missed? Let us know so we can add it.