Families will have an additional week to use their Passports to Adventure at the Aurora Historical Society this year.

The program, sponsored by the Kane/DuPage Regional Museum Association, rewards children ages 4-12 for visiting a variety of museums in the area.  The last day to participate and claim prizes at the AHS will be Sept. 12, 2015.

In Aurora, the historical society stamps the little yellow booklets at both the Tanner House Museum and the Pierce Art and History Center.  Children who accumulate five stamps may claim a prize at the Pierce Center.

Other Aurora museums participating are the Aurora Regional Fire Museum, SciTech Hands On Museum and Blackberry Farm.  There are 60 museums overall in the program.

“We love this program,” says AHS president Mary Clark Ormond.  “It’s really unplugged-time for families to have fun together.  The AHS is free, it’s close to home, and mom and dad enjoy it every bit as much as the youngsters.”

The program typically ends on Labor Day but in 2015 the Aurora Historical Society will continue it to incorporate Arts-A-Palooza in downtown Aurora, a family interactive event on Saturday, September 12.  Children visiting the Pierce Center that day will participate in an activity based on the restoration of the Depression-era mural recently rescued from the now-demolished building that was formerly West Aurora High School.

Sept. 12 will also be the last day to view the mural, “The History of Writing and the Alphabet”, which has been restored as part of a WPA exhibit over the summer and will be installed at the current high school building this fall.

Passport to Adventure booklets are free and still available at the Tanner House, 305 Cedar Street, Aurora, 60506, and the Pierce Art and History Center, 20 E. Downer, Aurora, 60505.  Tanner House hours are every Wednesday and Sunday through Sept. 30.  Tours are at 1, 2 and 3 p.m.  Free, but donations appreciated.

The Pierce Center is open from noon to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays — and it’s free.

More information on the Passport program can be found at www.kdrma.org.

SOURCE: Aurora Historical Society press release