Building Des Plaines – Pop-Up Exhibit #1

On April 28, 2024, we hosted our first pop-up event, Building Des Plaines, at the Des Plaines History Center with over 70 visitors. We are grateful for all visitors’ support and the Des Plaines History Center’s (DPHC) Executive Director Kurt Begalka, Interpretative Curator Emma Marston, and Curator of Collections Siobhan Heraty.

In “Building Des Plaines”, we explored different recognizable buildings in Des Plaines through a memory-matching game. We provided several activities that helped kids creatively express themselves through coloring, designing, and building their ideas about houses and other structures. 

We encouraged gross motor and coordination with a balance beam and a hammering activity. We also helped families prepare for the upcoming emergence of Cicada Broods XIII and XIX with multiple books about cicadas. We brought things “home” on DPHC’s excellent satellite map of Des Plaines and discovered what visitors felt were the most magical parts of Des Plaines.

We hope our visitors had as much fun playing as we did while discovering the places that bring you joy including the nature trails, the dog park, the Des Plaines Public Library, Choo Choos Restaurant, Mystic Waters, Wendy’s, and First Congregational Preschool.

We enjoyed talking with you and hearing your excitement about this project. We’re excited to see our visitors and reach even more people at our Taste of Des Plaines “Ride-the-River” pop-up! Have fun with us!