While you're exploring upcoming events, don’t forget to check our Hours and Admission page for hours, ticket prices, and general visitor information.
Upcoming Events and Programs

Music at the Mansion
Grab your friends and family, bring your blankets and chairs, and don’t forget your dancing shoes for an amazing FREE music experience set against the backdrop of the Ellwood Mansion

Music at the Mansion
Grab your friends and family, bring your blankets and chairs, and don’t forget your dancing shoes for an amazing FREE music experience set against the backdrop of the Ellwood Mansion

Arts in Action Exhibit Opening Reception
Join us for the opening of our 2025 Arts in Action exhibit. The exhibition will be on view through 2025.

Music at the Mansion
Grab your friends and family, bring your blankets and chairs, and don’t forget your dancing shoes for an amazing FREE music experience set against the backdrop of the Ellwood Mansion

Ellwood Explorers: Bugs and Blossoms
Join us for a morning in the gardens! Illinois Master Naturalists will be on hand to guide activities related to native plants and insects, including a scavenger hunt of Ellwood Park. Presented in partnership with University of Illinois Extension's annual Garden Walk. This event is free and open to the public; activities are catered toward ages 5-12.

Music at the Mansion
Grab your friends and family, bring your blankets and chairs, and don’t forget your dancing shoes for an amazing FREE music experience set against the backdrop of the Ellwood Mansion

Music at the Mansion
Grab your friends and family, bring your blankets and chairs, and don’t forget your dancing shoes for an amazing FREE music experience set against the backdrop of the Ellwood Mansion

Music at the Mansion
Grab your friends and family, bring your blankets and chairs, and don’t forget your dancing shoes for an amazing FREE music experience set against the backdrop of the Ellwood Mansion

Dedication Ceremony: America’s 250th with the General John Stark Chapter of DAR
General John Stark Chapter, NSDAR invites you to attend a dedication ceremony in celebration of America’s 250th Birthday honoring Major General Johann DeKalb, Hero of the American Revolution, 1777-1780 with the planting of a Liberty Tree and the unveiling of a commemorative marker.

Brown Bag Lunch: “The Interrelation of Art + History”
Ayanna Johnson works to tell the story of history through artwork. In her lecture, she will provide a thoughtful and inspiring conversation about how art creates space for diverse perspectives and helps us better understand the world through history.

Memorial Day Celebration
Join us on the grounds of the Ellwood House Museum on Memorial Day to celebrate, remember, and reflect upon our country and the heroes who made us great. Following the Memorial Day parade and service, the Mansion's first floor will be open free of charge.

Annual Meeting of Membership
Members are invited to attend the Ellwood House Museum’s 58th Annual Membership Meeting. No RSVP required.

Evening at Ellcourt
SOLD OUT. Reach out to info@ellwoodhouse.org to be added to a waitlist.
Join us for a good old fashioned night of jazz and revelry at Ellcourt, the Tudor-Revival home on the Ellwood House campus. Guests will have the chance to experience 1920’s parlor games, explore the gardens, enjoy handcrafted cocktails, and listen to live music. All events will take place within the Ellcourt home and the surrounding gardens.

Ellwood Explorers: Tea Party at Ellcourt
Tea Party at Ellcourt is the first of three monthly programs part of the Ellwood Explorers, the Ellwood House Museum’s free youth educational series. The Ellwood Explorers is supported by the Cy Miller Foundation.

Brown Bag Lunch: 2025 Ellwood House Exhibit Preview
Hear from Ellwood House Museum Exhibit Coordinator, Anna-Marie Zurlinden, about the museum’s upcoming exhibit: The Ellwood Eclectic.

Give DeKalb County 2025
Give DeKalb County is a philanthropic event featuring multiple ways for donors to support nonprofit organizations located in or serving DeKalb County, Illinois. Donors can give by check or can donate online during the 24-hour giving day at GiveDeKalbCounty.org

Frame of Mind Opening Reception
Join us for the Frame of Mind Opening Reception, a celebration of community and K-12 artistic talent in DeKalb County!

Arts in Action: Community Storytelling Showcase with Dr. Ada Cheng
Building upon the stories and experiences that were shared during the March 13 Storytelling Workshop with Dr. Ada Cheng, several individuals who participated in the workshop were invited to work with Dr. Cheng to fine tune their stories and share with the public during this event.

Brown Bag Lunch: The Precipice of Freedom: The Roles of DeKalb and Kane County during the Anti-Slavery Movement
Eric Krupa will share original historical research that uncovers the untold stories of how DeKalb and Kane counties contributed to the broader Midwest abolitionist movement. The presentation will explore the politics, strategies, and people who courageously fought for the freedom of enslaved individuals, including new insights into the Underground Railroad in our region.

STEM Café—Is That a Queen Anne? Exploring the Architectural Styles of American Homes
Architecture is the intersection of art and science. This can be seen in the homes we live in and adore. Learn more at this special STEM Café dedicated to American architecture at the historic Ellcourt House – a 1900 Tudor revival style mansion on the grounds of DeKalb’s Ellwood House.

Arts in Action: Storytelling Workshop
By sharing personal experiences, individuals can not only learn about themselves, but teach others about histories that go unsaid. Speaking the truth is a powerful act of self-expression that fosters connection, understanding, and empowerment. By sharing stories, spaces can be opened for diverse and meaningful dialogue that can shape and change the way people perceive the world

Dessert and Dialogue
The second in a series of discussions, “Dessert and Dialogue” will be an evening of community-building, storytelling, and racial healing. This event builds upon the work started by the Arts in Action project, a collaboration between the DeKalb County History Center and Ellwood House.