The DuPage Children’s Museum in Naperville will reopen its doors to the public on Saturday, Sept. 19.
The museum closed its facility at 301 N. Washington St. in January to repair damage from burst water pipes, and construction and maintenance has been underway ever since.
“The hard reality of rebuilding an entire museum is that there are so many moving pieces, timelines can fluctuate almost daily,” said Kimberly Stull, director of exhibits and operation at the DuPage Children’s Museum, in a press release. “One day you’re ahead of schedule, the next day you’re a week behind.”
According officials, the building construction is only one part of the timeline to reopen. The more consuming part is building and repairing custom exhibits. The process of creating these exhibits usually takes up to two years, but was condensed to a few months.
More Top Picks Best Prime Day Instant Camera Deals 2026
The temporary museum location at Westfield Fox Valley Mall, called DCM@TheMall, will remain open at least until Monday, Aug. 31. Museum staff are working on a plan to thank and celebrate the supporters of the location before heading back to the Naperville site.
Upon reopening the Naperville site, the museum hours will extend until 8 p.m. on Thursday and Friday nights during the school year to accommodate the schedules of more families.
Museum staff are planning a number of events for the reopening kick-off celebration week. Details of the events are not yet available.