FEATURED EVENTS

Join neighbors and community members for a special Día de los Muertos gathering at Steelworkers Park on the evening of November 1. Participants are invited to contribute photographs, cherished objects, flowers, and other meaningful items to community altar tables, honoring loved ones and celebrating the traditions and symbolism of Día de los Muertos. As dusk arrives, we’ll gather around a bonfire to share stories, reflect, and enjoy the warmth of community. Hot beverages and seasonal treats will be provided as we celebrate remembrance, connection, and the lives of those who came before us.

Celebrate an authentic old-fashioned Christmas at Glessner House this holiday season! These special one hour docent-led tours will highlight Christmas customs as observed by the Glessner family. The house will feature elaborate decorations of the late 19th-century including a live 10-foot tree decorated with period ornaments, toys and holiday crafts, Christmas music performed on the Glessners’ Steinway piano, and the dining table set for an eight-course Christmas feast. After the tour, enjoy complimentary hot cider and cookies.

Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a vibrant and deeply meaningful Mexican holiday. Ofrenda is a Spanish word that means "offering" in English. The altar that is created as part of Día de los Muertos honors loved ones who have passed away, inviting their spirits back for a joyous reunion with the living. These colorful displays are a celebration of their life, providing remembrance of the departed. They are also a space to share about their everlasting presence in our lives. Pets are also cherished family members and Brookfield Zoo Chicago wants to provide a meaningful way to celebrate their lives. During the weekend of Día de los Muertos, we hope that you will visit our Beloved Pets Ofrenda and share stories of your pets with members of our Education & Community Engagement team.

Get ready for spooky chills and scientific thrills at Fright at the Field, where Chicago’s Field Museum puts a delightfully creepy twist on natural history! From September 26 through November 1, explore Underground MISadventure: Zombie Fungus, an immersive experience filled with creepy mushrooms, fascinating fungi, and even an ant infected with zombie fungus. Wander through the Halloween Harvest Maze in Plants of the World, then search the museum for seven creepy-cool specimens, including Witch’s Hat Fungus and the Vampire Bat, to complete Chompy’s Secret Lair challenge and win a special prize. With eerie discoveries around every corner, it's a frightfully fun way to explore science this Halloween season! Both special experiences are included with general admission, and the museum stays open until 9 p.m. on October 6 and Halloween.

Originally commissioned for Goblincon in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, "Kentucky's Friendliest Cryptids" follows Agents Hill and Montgomery on their quest to prove the existence of cryptids. And those infamous Goblins are back in Hopkinsville on a mysterious mission of their own. Created by the cast the show features puppetry, comedy, audience participation and original songs!

Take a walk on the storybook side at the Nature Story Trail: “Giving Thanks” by Chief Jake Swamp at Trailside Museum of Natural History in River Forest! Families can enjoy a short outdoor walk while reading a story along the trail, combining fresh air, storytelling, and a little time together in nature. This free experience runs November 7–30, offering a lovely way to enjoy the outdoors during Native American Heritage Month.

Chicago’s free and family-friendly fall celebration returns to Lincoln Park Zoo with a full slate of harvest-time fun! From picking the perfect pumpkin and toasting s’mores over a fire pit to rides and entertainers, this festival offers something new and different each weekend in late September and throughout October. While you stroll through seasonally decorated gardens bursting with fall color, you’ll be able to enjoy free musical entertainment, professional pumpkin carvers, a pumpkin patch, and fall-themed enrichment for zoo animals. You can also enjoy ticketed attractions around the zoo.

We would be delighted to host you at one of our Tour & Coffee events during the school year. Should you be interested in visiting outside of our scheduled Tour & Coffee season, we are happy to arrange a private tour for you when our season is over. Please note that we will send a confirmation email one week prior to your scheduled Tour & Coffee event. Since these events are information-intensive, we kindly request that you make alternative childcare arrangements, as the format may be challenging for younger guests.

Join us on Friday, Sept. 25, from 10 am - 5 pm to explore the museum, our new exhibit, and programming in the Art Studio, Tinkering Lab and Pritzker Playspace. On Kids Free Days, all kids (17 years or younger) receive FREE admission! Children must be accompanied by an adult (18+) for museum entry. Advance tickets or reservations are not necessary for Kids Free Day. Final admissions are allowed no later than 60 minutes before the museum closes.

In celebration of Native American Heritage Month, Trailside is hosting an exhibit celebrating tribal diversity of contemporary Indigenous Communities whose ancestral homelands are the Great Lakes Region. Featuring sovereign tribal flags displayed outside the Museum, with an indoor exhibit that explains the political structure of each tribal nation’s government.

Discover together through all-ages activities as you explore the Museum, learn about the art on view, and make your own unique artwork. Just like drawing or sculpture, collecting is an art! Whether you’re a budding collector or a seasoned pro, be inspired by Life is an Art: The Collection of Jan Petry with a day of making, exploring and connecting with local artists. Activities include: 11 am‑6 pm Collecting scavenger hunt; 12–5 pm Art Market featuring IAM store artists and SkyArt teen artists; 11 am‑6 pm Explore Living Record: Looking Back to Look Forward exhibition in our Learning Studio - and more!

Come read, learn, celebrate, and grow together! Join us at The DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center, proudly celebrating its 65th year as the nation’s first independent Black history museum, for a special storytime series created especially for families and children. Mrs. Dipsworth’s Storytime is a monthly celebration of books, culture, history, imagination, and the beautiful diversity that makes our world special. Through engaging and interactive stories and meaningful messages, each gathering will feature a carefully selected book that encourages children to learn, discover, dream, feel empowered, celebrate Black culture, and embrace the importance of loving and respecting everyone—regardless of where they come from. Every storytime will bring Mrs. Dipsworth’s signature singing and dancing, as well as a uniquely different book and message, giving children and families something new to discover at every event.

Kids in grades K – 4 will participate in nature play and fun learning activities involving plants, art, and science. These camps will be held outside; please dress for the weather. Theme: Festive Fall.