Isle a la Cache Museum
Hours
Visitor center
Wednesday-Sunday: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Monday and Tuesday: Closed
Preserve
8 a.m.-sunset
Trails
Isle a la Cache Nature Trail
Centennial Trail/Veterans Memorial Trail
Phone
815-722-9301
Isle a la Cache Museum immerses visitors in the cultural heritage and natural history of 18th century “Illinois Country,” where French voyageurs and Potawatomi traditions intersected during the fur trade era.
Located within Isle a la Cache preserve, the museum offers engaging indoor exhibits and opportunities to explore the surrounding preserve and its diverse wildlife. Visitors can experience history through interpretive displays while discovering wildlife that inhabit the area today.
The museum offers public programs, school and youth group programs, dynamic exhibits, facility rentals, a gift shop, and free District publications and trail maps.
Explore the museum
- Inside, visitors can experience:
- Interactive exhibits exploring the fur trade era
- Beaver pelts, birch bark canoes and a walk-in wigwam
- A live Blanding’s turtle exhibit
Visitors may also purchase camping, dog park and picnic permits. The museum is accessible and open to the public free of charge. Dogs are not allowed inside the museum to prevent potential damage to artwork, exhibits and artifacts, including both historic and contemporary objects.
Explore the preserve
The surrounding preserve offers opportunities for year-round outdoor recreation.
Visitors may also spot wildlife throughout the preserve, including bald eagles, migratory songbirds, mink and turtles.
Group outings
While groups of 25 or more are welcome to visit the museum and preserve, a special use permit is required in advance to help avoid scheduling conflicts and overcrowding. Call 815-722-9301 for more information.
Upcoming events
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Museum Campus Day
Don't misss your chance to explore all the buildings at Isle a la Cache Museum and learn about the French fur traders and Potawatomi who once called this area home.
'Our Storytellers: Pokagon Potawatomi Black Ash Baskets' Exhibit
"Our Storytellers: Pokagon Potawatomi Black Ash Baskets” goes beyond the history and utility of black ash baskets, exploring the connections between craft, federal recognition, tribal resilience and the ongoing ecological threats to traditional ways of life for the Pokagon people.
WonderKids: Frogs!
Bring your little ones to Isle a la Cache Museum for WonderKids. This month's program will be all about frogs.
Latest headlines
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Wander at Will: A rare sight at Lake Renwick Migratory Bird Viewing
With a goal of becoming a better birder, Meghan headed to a Lake Renwick Migratory Bird Viewing on a Saturday morning in June to learn more about some of our feathered friends.
Project Update: Messenger Woods reopens with completion of new entrance road
Replacement of the deteriorating entrance road at Messenger Woods Nature Preserve has been completed, and the preserve has reopened.
What you need to know about the lone star tick
Lone star ticks are grabbing headlines because they can cause people to develop an allergy to red meat. Learn how to identify them and how to prevent tick bites.
Frequently asked questions
There are no costs associated with visiting any of our preserves, and admission to the museum is free.
Leashed dogs are allowed in the preserve but must stay on the trails. However, they are prohibited from entering the museum to prevent potential damage to artwork, exhibits and artifacts, including both historic and contemporary objects. Cleaning up dog waste is required by Forest Preserve ordinance.
Yes, whether you rent a shelter or not, you are always welcome to visit the museum during the building’s open hours as well as fish from the shoreline, kayak and walk the trails anytime the preserve is open. Fishing does require a current Illinois fishing license for anyone 16 years of age or older.
Yes, field trips are offered during the school year and remain free for Will County schools.
Trailered boats cannot be launched at Isle a la Cache. However, the preserve does offer a public canoe and kayak launch on the Des Plaines River. No launch pass is required.
The longhouse and Traders Cabin are mostly used for school field trips. However, they are also open to the public on Museum Campus Days and during Living History Encounter programs. In addition, some public programs are hosted in these spaces. Please check the event calendar for upcoming programs.
Via 135th Street, the preserve provides a 0.32-mile trail connection to the paved, 3.26-mile Centennial Trail/Veterans Memorial Trail as well as a 0.57-mile connection to the 7.57-mile, crushed limestone I&M Canal Trail.