Patch Picks: Local Museums

They say that those who don't know history are destined to repeat it. You have no excuse for being stuck in such a rut, as our local museums offer outstanding opportunities to learn about community life in various eras.

Here, Patch has a rundown of five local gems and what they have to offer.

This Glenview treasure always has something new. There were , butterflies this summer and science exploration this fall–not to mention the permanent exhibits that encourage young visitors to touch, hear and look more closely at the world around them. Learn about sound and how it makes you feel at Music Makers, try construction on a grand scale at the Hands On House and see how the steering wheel makes a car change directions at the Car Care section of Main Street.

Glenview History Center
What looks like an out-of-date farmhouse on Waukegan Road is far more than that. Inside, visitors will find a slice of life from the late Victorian period, 1860-1890. Guests can stop by on Sunday afternoons for an up-close look at furniture, clothing, pictures, and other memorabilia from the Civil War period to World War II. You should also mark your calendar for Sept. 3-4, when this Glenview museum will hold a Civil War encampment in celebration of the war’s 150th anniversary–the sesquicentennial.

The museum is open Thursdays and Sundays for a glimpse at life in Shermerville in the 1890s, when the total population of Northfield Township was 1,855. The  was not yet built on Glenview Aveie (now Waukegan Road; construction began in 1900), the village had no sidewalks (cinder sidewalks were approved in 1902; concrete sidewalks came in 1906), and residents got their news from the neighbors down the road (the Northbrook News began publishing in 1923). You are encouraged to take the local history quiz online to see how you measure up before and after your next visit.

Illinois Holocaust Museum
A few minutes’ drive south into Skokie will find you at a national treasure that both educates and inspires with first-person testimonials from local residents who survived the Holocaust, including Northbrook's own . The Illinois Holocaust Museum is a product of the Holocaust Memorial Foundation of Illinois, which aims to combat hate through education. Through Sept. 6, a special exhibit highlights the courage, creativity and initiative of women during the Holocaust, including interviews with 10 women who survived the Nazi's reign of terror.

Before was bustling with folks looking for good buys and great food, it was bustling with young soldiers. The shuttered Glenview Naval Air Station trained more than 30,000 solders during World War II, including 24,000 pilots, in addition to those who served in four wars and homeland security efforts during the base’s 58-year history. The Hangar One Foundation maintains a museum not far from the original hangar, which tells the story of this important training field. You should check it out one weekend soon for a closer look at your hometown history.