Will County museums offer affordable family outings close to home

Stay close to home and explore local history at Will County museums. They offer interactive and educational outings for all ages at affordable prices.

Joliet Area Historical Museum: The Joliet Area Historical Museum is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and offers participants the opportunity to learn about Joliet’s heritage and history. The museum has exhibits ranging from the early days of Native American settlers to the industrialization that shaped Joliet into what it is today. There are a variety of transportation, industrial and cultural artifacts for participants to view. General admission is $8 for adults, $7 for seniors and full-time students, $5 for youth ages 4 to 17 and free for museum members and children 3 and younger. The museum is also hosting a 2024 Rooftop Music Series. The series will end Sept. 14. At these shows, a full beverage bar is available, as well as a snack vendor and more. General admission is $14. The museum is at 204 Ottawa St. To contact the museum, call 815-723-5201 or email info@jolietmuseum.org. For more information, visit jolietmuseum.org/about-jahm.html.

The Martin & Emma Planinsek Grocery and Meat Market Museum: This museum was purchased by the Joliet Area Historical Museum and aims to share the Slovenian immigrant experience in Joliet through the lens of the Planinsek family. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Admission is $5 and free for ages 3 and younger. It’s at 1314 Elizabeth St. in Joliet. To contact the museum, call 815-723-5201 or email info@jolietmuseum.org. For more information, visit jolietmuseum.org/martin--emma-planinsek-grocery-and-meat-market-museum.html.

Produce from the 30’s and 40’s, most found in the basement of the old Slovenian grocery store, sit on the shelves at the Emma Planinsek Grocery and Meat Market Museum on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2023. — Produce from the 30’s and 40’s, most found in the basement of the old Slovenian grocery store, sit on the shelves at the Martin & Emma Planinsek Grocery & Meat Market Museum on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2023. (Gary Middendorf/Gary Middendorf)

Will County Historical Museum and Research Center: The Will County Historical Museum and Research Center is run through the Will County Historical Society and is open from noon to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday; it’s closed Monday and Tuesday. The museum has a variety of interesting exhibits, such as the Weird of Will County exhibit that discusses interesting artifacts relating to Will County’s history. Other exhibits include Fiber Arts, Tools and Implements, Office Machinery, Dr. Dougall’s Office and The Greatest Change: Early Will County from 1830-1850 and Gold Fever: Will County and California. Admission is free. The museum is at 803 S. State St., Lockport. In addition, there is also a Will County Heritage Village Open-Air Museum with a variety of historical buildings on display. Heritage Village is open from the first weekend of May to the first weekend of October. It’s at 249 W. Second St., Lockport. To contact the museum, call 815-838-5080. For more information, visit willhistory.org/.

Isle a la Cache Museum: The Forest Preserve of Will County’s Isle a la Cache Museum immerses visitors in Will County’s cultural and natural history, specifically regarding the 18th century fur trade. It is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, noon to 4 p.m. Sunday and closed Monday. Preserves are open from 8 a.m. to sunset. Visitors can feel a beaver pelt, view canoes built of birch bark and walk inside a wigwam. There are free district publications and trail maps inside the museum, as well as a gift shop. Isle a la Cache Preserve offers opportunities to bike, hike, run, fish, canoe and more. The museum is at 501 E. Romeo Road (135th Street), east of Illinois Route 53, in Romeoville. To contact the museum, call 815-722-9301. For more information, visit reconnectwithnature.org/preserves-trails/visitor-centers/isle-a-la-cache-museum/.

The Grundy County Historical Society Museum and the I & M Canal trail in Morris.

Plainfield Historical Society Museum: The Plainfield Historical Society Museum is a civilization museum centered around Plainfield history. It’s open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Saturday. Updates on hours can be found on its Facebook page. The museum is at 23836 W. Main St., Plainfield. To contact the museum, call 815-436-4073 or email plainfieldhistoricalsociety.il@gmail.com. For more information, visit facebook.com/plainfieldhistoricalsociety.

Pilcher Park Nature Center: Joliet Park District’s Pilcher Park Nature Center is a great place for families to go hiking and learn more about nature. It is open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. The center can be rented for overnight field trips, and Pilcher Park offers playground areas, picnic grounds, hiking trails, and bicycle trails and cross-country ski trails. The center aims to educate children and adults about nature. It’s at 2501 Highland Park Drive, Joliet. To contact the center, call 815-741-7277. For more information, visit jolietpark.org/pilcher-park-nature-center.

Museum of the Grundy County Historical Society: The Museum of the Grundy County Historical Society aims to provide a permanent location to preserve and display the county’s historical artifacts. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Special exhibits include the Nettle Creek Aqueduct, which chronicles the construction of the new aqueduct over the I&M Canal after the original aqueduct collapsed following the flood of April 2013, and the Hough Native American Exhibit, which displays Native American memorabilia collected by Harry Hough. Permanent exhibits showcase artifacts from Grundy County’s history, such as the Treasures from Matteson Hardware exhibit, which features items from the 1906 Matteson Hardware. The museum is at 510 W. Illinois Ave., Morris. To contact the museum, call 815-942-4880 or email grundyhistory@att.net. For more information, visit grundycountyhs.org/.