Downers Grove Museum

HOURS &
ADMISSIONS

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Open for self-guided tours:

Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays: 12-4PM

2nd and 4th Saturday of the month: 10AM - 1PM

Additional museum visits and research requests:

Available by appointment only. Contact the Museum by phone at 630.963.1309 or by email at museum@dgparks.org

Admission

Donations Appreciated

2024 Museum Closings

3/29-31; 5/25 - 27; 6/19; 7/4; 8/31-9/2; 11/28-12/1; 12/24-12/25; 12/31-1/1/25

About the Museum

The mission of the Downers Grove Museum is to provide educational and leisure opportunities for the community by collecting, preserving, exhibiting and interpreting materials that explain and document the history of Downers Grove and its relationship to local, state, regional, national and global history.

Downers Grove was settled in 1832 by Pierce Downer, a Plainfield, Vermont native. Downer moved to Ellisburg, New York where he met and married his wife, Lucy. They were a farming family and eventually had five children. Downer's son, Stephen, moved to Fort Dearbon in Chicago to help with the construction of a lighthouse. Following the departure of his son, Pierce Downer decided to also move west in the pursuit of a new future. He reached Chicago and eventually traveled down the DuPage River and settled in an area that would become Downers Grove.

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WandschNeider Park

Pauline Wandschneider was a long time resident of Downers Grove and was the founder and leader of the Downers Grove Historical Society. She dedicated her life to collecting, preserving, displaying and interpreting the history of Downers Grove. In addition to this, she also aided in finding a permanent home for all of these materials. In 1977, in honor of her contribution, the Park District named the site of the Park District museum Wandschneider Park. Pauline died in 1993, but the park carries on her name and contribution to the Downers Grove community.

This 4-acre park contains the Downers Grove Park District Museum, including the 1892 Blodgett House (main museum and offices), the 1846 Blodgett House, and the Montrew Dunham History Center, which houses special collections and featured exhibitions. Other amenities include a gazebo, Wildflower Walk perimeter pathway, and a Heritage Vegetable Garden.

AMENITIES