Founders

Back in 1987, Louise Beem and Dorothy Carpenter were grandmothers with a good idea. Beem had helped establish the early childhood development department at the College of DuPage. Carpenter taught preschool and was acquainted with Beem from their involvement in the local chapter of the Association for Education of Young Children (AEYC). They shared a strong belief in the need for open ended, interactive learning experiences for young children.

After conducting feasibility studies, fund raising, traveling the country and touring the handful of children’s museums that existed in the eighties, Beem and Carpenter incorporated DuPage Children’s Museum in 1987.

Attendance grew rapidly, and in 1992 DuPage Children’s Museum opened its pilot museum location in the lower level of the Wheaton Park District Community Center. Today, the Museum provides its innovative exhibits & programs in a newly renovated facility in Naperville, consisting of three floors. The upper level contains Math Connections, the Family Resource Center, and the Interact With Art Gallery. The main level houses AirWorks, Build It, Creativity Connections, Make It Move and WaterWays. There are also 3 Young Explorers Neighborhoods on these two levels. The lower level consists of Learning Labs, party rooms and a snack area.

Although much has changed since 1987, one thing has not. The original mission of the Museum, to develop creativity, thinking and problem solving in young children remains the focal point of everything DCM does even today. The brain research that has been publicized in the past few years confirms the founders' belief that children need to experiment with open-ended, hands-on activities like the ones found throughout Dupage Children's Museum. Come visit and see what you discover...where learning comes in to play™!

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