Celebrate Museum Day at DuPage Forest Preserve education centers

The DuPage County Forest Preserve District is again joining Smithsonian Magazine’s annual Museum Day Live! by inviting the public to visit its education centers Saturday, Sept. 28.

Hundreds of museums across the country will celebrate culture and learning Saturday by offering free admission. Though the forest district’s centers offer free admission and play host to scores of free and low-cost events year-round, they join this annual event to raise awareness of the experiences they offer.

At Mayslake Peabody Estate, 1717 W. 31st St., Oak Brook, visitors will explore the storied past of Mayslake Hall, a community resource and cultural center on the National Register of Historic Places. Free “Restoration in Progress” tours, which are normally $5, will be offered at 9:30, 10, 11 and 11:30 a.m. Visitors also can enjoy walking trails and fishing in Mays and Trinity lakes in the surrounding forest preserve. For information, call (630) 206-9566.

At Willowbrook Wildlife Center, 525 S. Park Blvd., Glen Ellyn, attendees will learn how to better live in harmony with nature and native wildlife. As a rehabilitation center, Willowbrook treats and releases thousands of injured animals each year.

Nearly 100 permanently disabled animals reside there, including hawks, owls, red foxes, an eagle and a bobcat. A nature trail, butterfly garden and visitor center provide interactive experiences.

On Sept. 28, the suggested $1-per-person donation will be waived. Willowbrook is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For details, call (630) 942-6200.

At Kline Creek Farm, 1N600 County Farm Road, West Chicago, visitors will step back in time to the 1890s during free tours of the historic farmhouse on the hour from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and blacksmithing demonstrations from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.

Additional seasonal activities also will take place. The farm is open Thursdays through Mondays, year-round, and admission, farmhouse tours and most programs are free. For information, call (630) 876-5900.

And at Fullersburg Woods Nature Education Center, 3609 Spring Road, Oak Brook, visitors will enjoy an introduction to the local environment. They’ll see the skeleton of a woolly mammoth, examine creatures that call DuPage home and explore the natural habitats in the surrounding woods and on the banks of Salt Creek.

The center is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and admission is always free. For information, call (630) 850-8110.

For information on Museum Day Live! locations, visit smithsonianmag.com /museumday. For forest preserve district programs on Sept. 28 and beyond, visit the calendar of events on the district’s website at dupageforest.org/calendar.aspxor call (630) 933-7200.