Known for providing exceptional educational and family-friendly programming, the Elmhurst History Museum, 120 E Park Ave., has officially broken ground on a performance space which will bring a new outdoor stage to the community. The project includes numerous enhancements to the Elmhurst History Museum campus, including building a band shell on the east lawn and converting a portion of the east parking lot into flex space for an audience. Funded through an Illinois Department of Natural Resources Public Museum Capital Grant, with additional support from the Elmhurst Heritage Foundation, the new public performance space will allow the museum to stage concerts, storytelling events, and dramatic performances on the museum campus beginning spring 2025.
“The project has been in the works for quite a while, and we are thrilled to officially begin the construction of our new performance space. The outdoor stage will allow the museum to expand our public programming for the community, hosting a variety of unique experiences and performances near Elmhurst’s City Centre,” said Dave Oberg, Elmhurst History Museum Executive Director. “We can’t wait to see the project come to life and have the community out to enjoy the new space next year.”
The Elmhurst History Museum celebrated the upcoming performance space with a groundbreaking ceremony in October 2024.
(pictured left to right) George Szczepaniak, Elmhurst Heritage Foundation President; Scott Levin, Mayor of Elmhurst; Dave Oberg, Elmhurst History Museum Executive Director; and Jess Wandersee, Elmhurst History Museum Curator of Education and Public Programs.
The band shell project is expected to be completed by the end of 2024. For additional information on Elmhurst History Museum, please visit elmhursthistory.org. To support the Elmhurst Heritage Foundation’s fundraising efforts to complete the project, please visit elmhurstheritagefoundation.org or contact Elmhurst History Museum Executive Director at 630-530-3321 or dave.oberg@elmhurst.org.