As America nears its 250th anniversary, Naper Settlement has several patriotic events planned to celebrate.
The Naperville-based museum is offering programs and experiences during the July 4 weekend and throughout the month for children and families, adults and educators.
Adults 21 and older can test their knowledge of American people, inventions and historical moments during a trivia night from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, July 2, at the settlement’s Pre-Emption House. One drink ticket is included in admission and a valid ID required, organizers said.
Tickets are $20, and advanced registration is needed.
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Naper Settlement will present Gettysburg Day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, July 3.
Gettysburg Day, which commemorates the 163rd anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, features hands-on activities and educational programs to explore the Civil War era, organizers said.
Guests can experience life in Naperville during 1863, hear Abraham Lincoln’s famous address, attend a Civil War fashion show, make fireworks in a jar and more. Children 6 to 13 can learn how to drill like a Civil War solider; advanced registration is required for this activity.
The event is included in general admission.
A family-friendly escape room experience will be held at various times Friday and Saturday, July 3-4. Some time slots have already sold out.
Families taking part in the National Treasure Escape Room must work together to solve puzzles and uncover clues throughout the settlement’s 13-acre campus.
The cost is $15 per person, and registration is necessary.
A free community conversation will be conducted from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Friday, July 3, as part of the History Belongs to All of Us series.
The topic will compare the Gettysburg Address with the Declaration of Independence. The event goes beyond a traditional lecture and encourages participates to share and connect their own experiences to the country’s history, organizers said.
Interested participants should register for the free program. Snacks are included.
The settlement will be celebrating America on July 4 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and guests can explore the historic buildings and exhibits that bring the nation’s history to life.
“We the People: Naperville and the American Story” is the museum’s exhibit in honor of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It connects the city’s history with the nation’s through artifacts, imagery and hands-on interactive exhibits.
The special exhibit, which is on view throughout the year, includes tales of Naperville residents who have left their mark on local and national history, the settlement said.
Other July events include historical walking tours, more escape rooms, farmer’s markets and the Naper Nights concert series. An additional community conversation as part of the History Belongs to All of Us series will focus on bicentennial ephemera and will be held at noon July 25.
The 250th anniversary will be celebrated in other ways throughout the year, including a hometown picnic with lawn games and living history demonstrations on Aug. 8.
For more information and to register for programs, go to www.napersettlement.org.