Elmhurst Museum Day offers free visits

Many Chicago area museum-goers don't realize Elmhurst is home to three museums all within walking distance of one another — the Elmhurst Art Museum, Elmhurst History Museum, and Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art.

To help area residents familiarize themselves with these cultural institutions, Elmhurst celebrates an annual Museum Day, to be held this year from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, May 21, when the three museums, along with the Wilder Park Conservatory, will open their doors to the public.

Visitors of all ages are welcome to walk or ride the two complimentary Explore Elmhurst trolleys as they transport guests to each location in downtown Elmhurst to explore exhibits and participate in family-friendly activities.

Exhibit admission and activities are free. Participants who receive stamps at all four locations may qualify for a prize drawing that includes Classic Cinemas movie tickets, passes to The Hub batting cage and mini golf facility, museum membership packages and Elmhurst City Centre gift cards.

Elmhurst Museum Day is part of an international event designed to remind the public of the value of museums as an important community resource for education, cultural exchange, and development of mutual understanding and cooperation among people.

Here are some of the free activities planned for this year's event:

Elmhurst Art Museum: Explore the current exhibition, “The Human Touch: Selections from the RBC Wealth Management Art Collection,” and create a related work of art. Location: 150 Cottage Hill Ave. Info: elmhurstartmuseum.org or (630) 834-0202.

Elmhurst History Museum: Tour the “House and Home” exhibit from the National Building Museum and “By All Accounts: The Story of Elmhurst” exhibit, watch home improvement paint and tile demos by Home Depot pros, and kids can design a dream bedroom look board to take home. Location: 120 E. Park Ave. Info: elmhursthistory.org or (630) 833-1457.

Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art: Experience the museum's collections of rare stones and precious gems, and make a rockin' picture frame to preserve special memories. Location: 220 Cottage Hill Ave. Info: lizzadromuseum.org or (630) 833-1616.

Wilder Park Conservatory: Discover Elmhurst's historic conservatory and learn about horticulture and conservation. The first 200 families will receive a flower/herb garden starter kit (limit one per family). Location: 175 S. Prospect Ave. Info: epd.org or (630) 993-8900.

All museums and Wilder Park are within a few blocks of each other and the Elmhurst Metra train station. For Museum Day information, visit elmhursthistory.org or any of the museums' websites.