Exploreum Building Fund

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Ottawa Exploreum

Ottawa Exploreum is a community-driven effort to create a children’s museum in Ottawa. Through hands-on, interactive experiences, we aim to spark curiosity, creativity, and a love of learning in children and families—one step at a time.

Kites in Flight Sponsorships

Get ready to look to the skies! 🪁Kites in Flight returns for its 6th year at Peck Park in Ottawa with two days of high-flying fun and family entertainment. Join us May 16 &amp; 17, 2026, from 11 AM to 3 PM both days, for this popular spring tradition in the Illinois Valley. ✨ We&rsquo;re excited to welcome Chicago Kite back again this year, bringing their incredible professional kite displays that fill the sky with color and excitement. 🎈 What to expect:<ul data-end="946" data-start="760" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><li data-end="819" data-start="760" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">FREE kite flying and professional kite demonstrations</li><li data-end="848" data-start="820" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Kids &amp; family activities</li><li data-end="871" data-start="849" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Live entertainment</li><li data-end="904" data-start="872" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Community vendors &amp; sponsors</li><li data-end="946" data-start="905" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">A relaxed outdoor festival atmosphere</li></ul>💲 Important Admission Info:<ul data-end="1100" data-start="983" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><li data-end="1042" data-start="983" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Kite flying and kite demonstrations are FREE to enjoy</li><li data-end="1100" data-start="1043" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">All other activities will require a $5 activity fee</li></ul>This helps support the event and allows us to continue offering engaging activities for families.Bring your own kite, bring the kids, and help us celebrate six years of Kites in Flight at Peck Park!

Kites in Flight Food & Craft Vendors

Join us for Trivia Night 🎉 and put your knowledge to the test while helping bring the Ottawa Exploreum children&rsquo;s museum to life. Your registration supports hands-on, creative learning experiences for kids and helps us build a welcoming space for curiosity and play. Bring friends, form a team, and enjoy an evening of questions, laughs, and community connection. 🧠✨

Trivia Night

I wanted to pass along details about a fun community fundraiser coming up and encourage you to take part if you can.On Friday, January 30, there will be a guest bartending fundraiser at Misfits (230 W. Madison St. in Ottawa) benefiting the Ottawa Exploreum Children&rsquo;s Museum. Throughout the evening, different community members will be behind the bar pouring drinks and raising money for a great cause.100% of the tips collected during each guest bartending hour go directly to the Children&rsquo;s Museum. Every single dollar.Here&rsquo;s how the night is scheduled:<ul data-spread="false" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">5:30&ndash;6:30: Brent Roalson &amp; Tony Grunstad</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">6:30&ndash;7:30: Marla Pearson &amp; Rich Crum</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">7:30&ndash;8:30: John Williams &amp; Jay Leseure</li></ul>If you&rsquo;re able to stop by at any point during the evening, it&rsquo;s a great way to support the Exploreum and enjoy a night out. If you can&rsquo;t make it in person, you can still contribute through the Zeffy donation page, so everyone has a way to help. For those who may not know, the Ottawa Exploreum Children&rsquo;s Museum hasn&rsquo;t been built yet, and this fundraiser is helping make that vision a reality right here in our community.Thanks so much for the continued support and for always backing efforts that make Ottawa a great place to live. Hope to see you January 30 at Misfits!

Exploreum Misfits Bartending Event

🎄 Sparkle Spectacular Tree Auction November 7&ndash;21, 2025 Online and Onsite at Jeremiah Joe Coffee The holiday season is about to sparkle in Ottawa! ✨ The Exploreum Children&rsquo;s Museum is hosting its first-ever Sparkle Spectacular Tree Auction, a festive fundraiser to help bring the Exploreum Children&rsquo;s Museum to life in our community. Each tree has been lovingly designed and decorated by the Friends of the Exploreum Committee, featuring everything from classic holiday elegance to fun and whimsical themes. Stop by Jeremiah Joe Coffee to see these stunning trees in person or place your bids online &mdash; just in time to kick off the holiday season!In the true spirit of giving, 5% of all proceeds will benefit the Ottawa Food Pantry, helping support local families this holiday season. Join us for this joyful community tradition in the making &mdash; where creativity, generosity, and holiday cheer come together to make Ottawa shine a little brighter. 🌟

Ottawa Exploreum's Sparkle Spectacular Silent Auction

💚🎄 Grinchmas Raffle! 🎄💚It&rsquo;s that time of year again &mdash; and this holiday season, we&rsquo;re celebrating Grinchmas! Starting today, you can grab a chance to win our Whoville-inspired Christmas tree, decked out with all the Grinchy charm your heart can handle.✨ Raffle Details:<ul data-end="622" data-start="402" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><li data-end="431" data-start="402" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">🎟️ Tickets:&nbsp;$10 each</li><li data-end="496" data-start="432" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">🗓️ Raffle Dates: Now through November 21 at 5:00 PM</li><li data-end="557" data-start="497" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">🏆 Winner Announced: Shortly after the raffle closes</li><li data-end="622" data-start="558" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">💚 All proceeds benefit: The Exploreum &mdash; Dream to Life</li></ul>Don&rsquo;t miss your chance to take home this one-of-a-kind holiday showstopper &mdash; perfect for making your heart grow three sizes this season!Get your $10 ticket today and help bring the Exploreum&rsquo;s Dream to Life! 🎁

Ottawa Exploreum's Grinchmas Raffle

🌟Exploreum Building Fund: Help Us Build a Place Where Curiosity GrowsThe Ottawa Exploreum Children&rsquo;s Museum is taking its biggest step forward &mdash; creating a permanent home designed to inspire curiosity, creativity, and discovery for children and families throughout Starved Rock Country and beyond.Our future facility will feature open exhibit galleries, a family caf&eacute;, themed birthday and activity rooms, and flexible spaces for workshops, field trips, and community events. With recent building updates and a layout perfectly suited for family use, this space will soon be transformed into a vibrant, hands-on learning destination that welcomes visitors year-round.Your support of the Exploreum Building Fund will help us complete the necessary renovations, build new interactive exhibits, and create a safe, accessible environment where families can learn and play together. Grant funding will cover part of the cost &mdash; but community contributions are essential to bring the full vision to life.By giving today, you&rsquo;re helping us create a museum that will spark imagination, strengthen local tourism, and become a place where families make memories for generations to come. Together, we can build something extraordinary &mdash; right here in the Middle of Everywhere.

🌟Exploreum Building Fund: Help Us Build a Place Where Curiosity GrowsThe Ottawa Exploreum Children’s Museum is taking its biggest step forward — creating a permanent home designed to inspire curiosity, creativity, and discovery for children and families throughout Starved Rock Country and beyond.Our future facility will feature open exhibit galleries, a family café, themed birthday and activity rooms, and flexible spaces for workshops, field trips, and community events. With recent building updates and a layout perfectly suited for family use, this space will soon be transformed into a vibrant, hands-on learning destination that welcomes visitors year-round.Your support of the Exploreum Building Fund will help us complete the necessary renovations, build new interactive exhibits, and create a safe, accessible environment where families can learn and play together. Grant funding will cover part of the cost — but community contributions are essential to bring the full vision to life.By giving today, you’re helping us create a museum that will spark imagination, strengthen local tourism, and become a place where families make memories for generations to come. Together, we can build something extraordinary — right here in the Middle of Everywhere.

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/hxn9dbuhd/image/upload/v1783520962/wysiwyg/bi6kdl7sqbevzw8uzgyd.jpg" style="width: 600px; display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; user-select: none; max-width: 100%; position: relative; box-sizing: inherit;" fr-original-style="width: 600px; display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable">Help Lincoln Take Flight!This year, we&#39;re working to bring an unforgettable experience to Lincoln-Douglas Debate Days&mdash;a 35-foot Abraham Lincoln balloon that will soar above the streets of Ottawa during the parade!This larger-than-life attraction will celebrate our city&#39;s rich Lincoln history, create incredible photo opportunities, and delight thousands of residents and visitors.Our goal is to raise $11,500 to make this vision a reality. Every donation, no matter the size, helps bring Lincoln one step closer to taking flight over Ottawa.If we don&#39;t quite reach our fundraising goal, every dollar raised will still go toward helping make the Lincoln-Douglas Debate Days celebration a success. And if we&#39;re fortunate enough to exceed our goal, any additional funds will be used to enhance Debate Days and support future event activities.Thank you for helping us create an unforgettable experience for our community and everyone who visits the Middle of Everywhere. Every donation truly makes a difference!

Help Lincoln Take Flight!This year, we're working to bring an unforgettable experience to Lincoln-Douglas Debate Days—a 35-foot Abraham Lincoln balloon that will soar above the streets of Ottawa during the parade!This larger-than-life attraction will celebrate our city's rich Lincoln history, create incredible photo opportunities, and delight thousands of residents and visitors.Our goal is to raise $11,500 to make this vision a reality. Every donation, no matter the size, helps bring Lincoln one step closer to taking flight over Ottawa.If we don't quite reach our fundraising goal, every dollar raised will still go toward helping make the Lincoln-Douglas Debate Days celebration a success. And if we're fortunate enough to exceed our goal, any additional funds will be used to enhance Debate Days and support future event activities.Thank you for helping us create an unforgettable experience for our community and everyone who visits the Middle of Everywhere. Every donation truly makes a difference!

Debate Days

A Toast to Lincoln &amp; DouglasFriday, August 21 | 4:00&ndash;6:00 PM 2011 Caton Road, Ottawa, ILStep back in time and raise a glass to two of America&#39;s most influential figures during A Toast to Lincoln &amp; Douglas&mdash;an intimate evening celebrating Ottawa&#39;s rich history and the legacy of the famous Lincoln-Douglas Debates.Guests will enjoy:<ul fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Appetizers from Valentino&#39;s Pasta &amp; Wine</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Open bar featuring beer, seltzers, and wine</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Open house of the historic home that Lincoln is known to have visited with his friend and original owner T. Lyle Dickey</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">A brief history of the house presented by local historian Tom Aussem</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Special appearances by the official Lincoln-Douglas Debate Days impersonators</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">For more information about this historical estate, please visit the real estate listing here:&nbsp;</li></ul><div fr-original-style="" style="line-height: 1.5; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit;">https://apps.realtor.com/mUAZ/pc003vjf&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</div>Whether you&#39;re a history enthusiast or simply looking for a memorable evening with friends, this unique event offers the perfect blend of history, hospitality, and community. 🎟️ Tickets:&nbsp;$50 per personSpace is limited, and tickets are expected to sell out. Reserve yours today!

A Toast to Lincoln & Douglas

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/hxn9dbuhd/image/upload/v1784215686/wysiwyg/kd8ekrlq0hetvnfjvek6.jpg" style="width: 600px; display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; user-select: none; max-width: 100%; position: relative; box-sizing: inherit;" fr-original-style="width: 600px; display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable">Murder at the OaksBest Laid Plans of Old HollywoodSome plans are worth killing for. Step into the glamour and intrigue of Old Hollywood at The Oaks, the historic McCracken estate once owned by General Wallace. Guests will enjoy an immersive murder mystery experience filled with elegance, secrets, and suspense. Presented in partnership with the Chicago Murder Mystery Company, this evening invites attendees to unravel clues, question suspects, and experience storytelling in a truly unforgettable setting. Proceeds from the evening help bring the Exploreum to life, supporting immersive programs and experiences that connect history, creativity, and community.

Ottawa Exploreum

Events

Events

A Toast to Lincoln & Douglas

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Murder at the Oaks ~ Best Laid Plans of Old Hollywood Every plan has a fatal flaw.

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More ways to support us

Exploreum Building Fund

$50 of $750,000 goal

Donate today

Debate Days

$1,000 of $5,000 goal

Donate today

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