Naper Settlement

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, 125,000 visitors, including 35,000 northern Illinois schoolchildren, experience living history at Naper Settlement.

Naper Settlement was established in 1969 by a group of individuals who were interested in saving the Civil War-era St. John’s Episcopal Church from possible demolition. The group, called the Naperville Heritage Society, was a grassroots effort of community members who raised the funds, both in cash and in-kind, to have the historic church transferred to the grounds of the Martin Mitchell Mansion. Read more about the history of Naper Settlement.