Children’s Museum in Oak Lawn

The Children’s Museum in Oak Lawn at 5100 Museum Drive is a 501(c)(3) play museum for young kids, a block off 95th Street. The idea came from Carol Marsh, an Oak Lawn mother who organized a volunteer board in the late 1990s; the museum opened in 2003 in a small park district room and moved into the 12,000-square-foot home on July 27, 2009 after the village offered the space. Exhibits are built around play-based learning, and programs include a therapist-supported Wee Ones Wednesday for toddlers, sensory-friendly hours, birthday parties and school field trips. The museum takes part in the national Children’s Museum Research Network.

What to know

• The museum opened in 2003 and moved to 5100 Museum Drive on July 27, 2009.
• The current space is 12,000 square feet, up from the original 900.
• Free parking is on the fifth floor of the adjacent garage, along the north wall facing the museum.
• Wee Ones Wednesday is a therapist-supported playtime for toddlers and caregivers.
• The museum is an independent 501(c)(3) funded largely by admissions, parties and field trips.