About The Grove
The Grove is 123 acres of ecologically diverse prairie grove land preserved and maintained by the Glenview Park District.
The Grove was the home of visionary horticulturist and educator Dr. John Kennicott who brought his family from New Orleans to settle on this land in 1836. It was here that Dr. John's son Robert Kennicott developed his love of nature that led to such accomplishments as exhibiting his plant and animal specimen collections at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., founding the Chicago Academy of Sciences and the exploration of Russian America that led to the purchase of Alaska.
Because of its rich history, The Grove was designated a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior in 1976. It is on the National Registry of Historic Places. The Grove is a partner with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Chicago Wilderness.
The Grove offers many opportunities for educational, environmental and historical enjoyment including two historic homes, the Kennicott House and the Redfield Estate; the Grove Interpretive Center, a Native American Village, a Log Cabin, a Schoolhouse, a Wetlands Greenhouse and numerous interpretive trails. There are also several special events held each year.
The Grove Store
Located in The Grove Interpretive Center
Open Daily from 10 am-4 pm
Select and purchase merchandise from a variety of items for children and the nature enthusiast.
Books • Candles • Toys • Sun Catchers • T-shirts
Categories
Landmarks:
Chicago Suburbs
Museums:
Historical Villages & Farms, Nature Centers
Outdoor Kids Activities:
Plants/Gardens
Other Details
Advance Arrangements:
Summer Hours
Kennicott House - Log Cabin - One-Room Schoolhouse -
Native American Longhouse
June 17-August 17
Open to the public Tues., Thurs., Sat. & Sun.: 11 am-3 pm
Our first experience here was for a summer party, it was wonderful! We walked to the museum.shop area, walked a few trails, I cant wait to go back and spend an entire day at the Grove!
The Grove is nice, my brother got married here. I think besides walking around and enjoying nature a bit, it's a great place to take photos of the kids! Lots of great backgrounds with cabins, trees, leaves and ponds.
beautiful trails and a few animals inside too a nice outing for kids trails very fun also good for scout badge work the people that work there are very knowledgeable
A nice place for a little stroll. The best thing here is the nature center. It is awesome- the kids always spend a long time here looking at the animals and discovering another part of this rich naturalist collection. It's a perfect way to spend an hour+ on a drizzly day.
This place is very sweet, peaceful and a great way to incorporate nature into a playdate with your kids. The outdoor trails are great but there can tend to be a great deal of bugs so I would recommend bug spray. The indoor exhits are pretty cool and very educational. Admission is free which is a great bonus. There is a turtle exhibit that my kids find facinating. There is a turtle in the tank that is pretty close to a hundred years old (my kids got a big kick out of that). The fall is particulary serene and a great place for the kids to run through the leaves.
My husband and I are partial to The Grove as we got married there, but, the reptiles, insects, and wildlfe exhibit are such a hidden treasure. Our favorite is the giant turtle. Take your kids there as their curiosity is growing everyday--it's free too!!!
This is a hidden find. A fun place to spend a few hours. There are lots of trails to follow and water to see. There are a few houses to go into that have animlas to learn about. Be careful of the mosquitos.
This is a wonderful place. The nature center is great - lots of things to see & a great turtle pond. And there are several trails outside, so you can take a short stroll. We always enjoy the special weekend events.
This is a great place to visit and enjoy the animal life and the outdoors. The Grove is easy to get to. It is also nice to go there when there are special events. It's free too!
This is a great place to bring your children for a nice, free outing. The interpretive center has many different kinds of fish, turtles, reptiles, insects, etc. on display. There are nice walking trails including a boardwalk alongside a pond, where we saw a duck family the last time we visited. My daughters like to play at the "wishing well" outside of the log cabin.
