Attractions & Things To Do in Oak Brook

Cantigny Park opened to the public in 1958. It is home to: 

• The Robert R. McCormick Museum, a historic house museum interpreting the life and legacy of the Colonel. The mansion reveals the public and private sides of one of America’s wealthiest and most philanthropic families. 
  
• The First Division Museum, dedicated to the history of the Big Red One, the famed 1st Infantry Division of the U.S. Army. Many exhibits are interactive and all of them provide fascinating insights about America’s military, past and present. 
  
• Cantigny Gardens, created in 1967 by renowned landscape architect Franz Lipp. Nearly 30 acres of formal gardens, theme plantings and statuary render exceptional beauty in all seasons. 
  
• Visitors Center, featuring a popular scale model of the estate, 100-seat theater with welcome film, Le Jardin at Cantigny Park (restaurant and banquet hall), Bertie’s Café and the Cantigny Shop. 
  
• ​Education Center, a prairie-style building opened in 2010 that serves as the hub for more than 300 children’s programs, youth group activities, Golden Oak Club meetings (for seniors), fitness classes, horticulture workshops, art classes and more. 
  
• Walking Trails (nearly 3 miles) and spacious Picnic Area 
  
• Cantigny Golf, designed by Roger Packard and opened for play in 1989. The 300-acre complex includes 27 scenic holes, the year-round Cantigny Golf Academy, the 9-hole Cantigny Youth Links and a full-service clubhouse with dining and banquet facilities. 
  
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Drury Lane is a beautiful, unique and versatile facility that combines ideal location, functionality and elegance to make it one of Chicagoland's finest facilities.
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DuPage Children’s Museum ignites the potential of all children to learn through hands-on exploration by integrating art, math, and science.
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The brainchild of a forward-thinking group of teachers, artists and community organizers, the Elmhurst Art Museum was founded with the belief that people from all walks of life and professions can learn how to see and to think differently through the study of art, architecture and design.
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Just a short walk from the birthplace, housed inside the Oak Park Arts Center, the Ernest Hemingway Museum is host to permanent and temporary exhibits that explore the author's life. Kiosks fashioned from historic doors hold exhibits of rare photos and artifacts, including Hemingway's childhood diary and the famous letter from nurse Agnes von Kurowsky-later portrayed in A Farewell to Arms-terminating their engagement. Special exhibits highlight Hemingway's love of nature and the arts, along with his involvement in both World Wars and the movies. Other exhibits include The Eye of the Writer, Picturing Hemingway, and Hemingway and the Arts. A museum bookshop features books by and about the author, gift items, videos and posters.
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Fermilab is America's particle physics and accelerator laboratory.
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The Lizzadro Museum displays gemstone treasures, antiques to modern with a blending of earth science exhibits. The building itself is designed to resemble a jewel box in a park setting.
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Mayslake Peabody Estate is a dynamic historic resource that promotes inspiring experiences that enrich the lives of our visitors and community.
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The mission of The Morton Arboretum is to collect and study trees, shrubs, and other plants from around the world, to display them across naturally beautiful landscapes for people to study and enjoy, and to learn how to grow them in ways that enhance our environment. Their goal is to encourage the planting and conservation of trees and other plants for a greener, healthier, and more beautiful world.
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Naper Settlement is a family-friendly outdoor history museum featuring 12 acres of learning and interactive opportunities for all ages. Located in downtown Naperville, Naper Settlement is just steps away from dining, shopping and the Riverwalk. Visitors will be immersed in history as they learn about the past and how it relates to the present, from pioneer times to today. Highlights include special events and programs and activities year-round, both on- and off-site. Each year, 140,400 visitors, including 35,000 northern Illinois schoolchildren, experience living history at Naper Settlement. 
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