13 Unique and Affordable Attractions Your Kids will Enjoy
Are you looking for something different to do with your kids? Chicagoland is filled with so many unique and out of the ordinary [and affordable!] attractions…. you just have to know where to find ‘em!
Air Classics Museum of Aviation
44 W 546 US 30
Sugar Grove IL 60554
$5-$10 admission
Chicagoland’s largest aviation museum. The collection of exhibits at this volunteer-run aviation museum includes aircrafts, vehicles, uniforms and other aviation memorabilia from the 1930s to today. Guided tours are available of the aircraft located on-site and visitors are encouraged to sit in an A-7 flown in the Gulf War and climb into the pilot's seat of an UH-1 Huey helicopter.
Chicago Sports Museum
Water Tower Place, Level 7
835 N Michigan Ave
Chicago IL 60611
$6-$10 admission
Photo via Chicago Sports Museum Facebook page
The 23,000 sq ft space celebrates Chicago's major sports teams and combines high-tech interactive experiences with unique sports memorabilia and an impressive collection of game-used treasures and other artifacts.
Fire Museum of Greater Chicago
5218 S Western Ave
Chicago IL 60609
FREE admission
Home to a vast and growing collection of fire apparatus, tools, communications equipment, photos, documents, helmets & uniforms, and other artifacts with historical significance.
Aurora Regional Fire Museum
53 N Broadway
Aurora IL 60505
$5 admission
A place of public history, learning and community gathering for all ages and occasions. The museum provides walk-in tours, scheduled group tours and educational programs including field trips and scout programs. There’s even a fun and imaginative play area for little kids.
Busy Beaver Button Museum
3407 W Armitage Ave
Chicago IL 60647
FREE admission
Photo via Busy Beaver Button Museum Facebook page
Showing how people commemorated noteworthy times in their lives by creating and collecting buttons. The words, artwork, printing style, color and size on the buttons are the way of communication to people’s histories.
Sock Monkey Museum
210 Robert Parker Coffin Rd
Long Grove IL 60047
$4-$6 admission
A collection of sock monkeys that came together from estate sales, garage sales, antique stores, previously amassed collections, heartwarming gifts, generous donations and the internet.
Bess Bower Dunn Museum
1899 W Winchester Rd
Libertyville IL 60048
$3-$10 admission
Photo of Bess Bower Dunn Museum, owned by Kristel at On the Go with 4 Kids in Tow
Exploring the history of people, events & nature, through exhibitions, education & community engagement. Exhibitions at the museum include a fossil rock estimated to be 420 million years old, a full-scale reproduction of an authentic wigwam and a reproduction of a one-room schoolhouse in Lake County.
Jurica-Suchy Nature Museum
Benedictine University
5700 College Rd
Lisle IL 60532
FREE admission
Photo of Jurica-Suchy Nature Museum via Benedictine University website
A natural history museum at Benedictine University, that offers hands-on learning and interactive exhibits with collections in oology, paleontology and herbarium. As part of the Discovery Box Loan Program, visitors can reserve a free educational kit that includes different specimens, education materials and activities.
Naper Settlement
523 S Webster St
Naperville IL 60540
$4-$6 admission
Photo via Naper Settlement Facebook page
A 13 acre outdoor history museum, consisting of 30 historical buildings and structures that serve to document, preserve and interpret the community life of Naperville IL. Themes include, but not limited to the social, political and business history of the town.
Mindworks: The Science of Thinking
224 S Michigan Ave, Ste 102
Chicago IL 60604
FREE admission
Photo via Mindworks Facebook page
Mindworks is a working behavioral science lab and interactive discovery center. Visitors are welcome to explore the exhibits and are encouraged to participate in experiments and earn prizes for supporting research. The interactive exhibits explore questions such as: What do first impressions tell us about others and ourselves? How can you better understand and learn from things you failed to do?
The Beller Museum
275 Rocbaar Dr
Romeoville IL 60446
FREE Admission
Photo via bellermuseum.com
A museum displaying vintage automobiles and machinery, coming from Detroit’s heydays. In addition to the showroom, there is also an extensive library of books and articles, relating to cars and trucks dating between the 1920s and the 1950s. The museum also offers guided walkthroughs.
Chicagoland Raceway
17 W Ogden Ave
Westmont IL 60559
Photo via chicagolandraceway.com
A full service slot car racing facility. There are 2 custom built, 8 lane commercial slot car racing tracks and a variety of weekly race classes, ranging from beginner to expert experience. There are also monthly and annual slot car racing events, or you can rent controllers and cars there to race on the track just for fun.
Homewood Science Center
18022 Dixie Highway
Homewood IL 60430
FREE admission
Photo via Homewood Science Center Facebook page
Drop in visits open every Saturday for STEM Saturdays, where your family can explore STEM activities through hands-on exhibits, creative play and special presentations. Use your engineering skills in the STEAM Studio, take some time to play in the Imagination Playground and check out the newest exhibit: the Ball Wall.
What unique attractions have you visited? Let me know in the comments!
Are you looking for something truly unique to do with your kids? Take a trip on a Metra train! There are 11 different train lines to choose from, each with multiple stops that are sure to entertain your kids.