Discover 11 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Aurora (United States). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Phillips Park Zoo, Grand Army of the Republic Hall, and Paramount Theatre. Also, be sure to include William Tanner House Museum in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Aurora (Illinois).
Table of Contents
Phillips Park Zoo
Historic park housing native animals. Phillips Park Zoo is located on the grounds of Phillips Park, in Aurora, Illinois, United States. It was originally established in 1915, and is still open year-round with no admission charge. It was once home to exotic animals such as giraffes and monkeys, but the zoo's focus changed to native animals after Brookfield Zoo opened in 1934.[1]
Address: 1000 Ray Moses Dr, 60505-5786 Aurora (Aurora)
Grand Army of the Republic Hall
Building in Aurora. The Grand Army of the Republic Hall is an historic building located at 23 East Downer Place on Stolp Island in Aurora, Illinois, in the United States.[2]
Address: 23 E Downer Pl, 60505 Aurora (Aurora)
Paramount Theatre
Theatre in Aurora, Illinois. The Paramount Theatre, also known as the Paramount Arts Center, opened in Aurora, Illinois in 1931. It was designed by Rapp and Rapp in the Art Deco style with Venetian elements. Over the years, it has hosted films, plays, musicals, concerts, comedy shows, and other acts. The structure was restored in the 1970s and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. It is part of the Stolp Island Historic District.[3]
Address: Aurora, 23 E. Galena Blvd.
William Tanner House Museum
Museum in Aurora, Illinois. The William Tanner House Museum, also known as the William A. Tanner House, is a historic residence and museum in Aurora, Illinois. It was built in 1857 for William A. Tanner, a hardware merchant. His descendants lived in the house until it was donated to the Aurora Historical Society in 1936. It now operates as a Victorian-period historic house museum.[4]
Address: 317 Cedar St, 60506-3901 Aurora (Aurora)
Copley Hospital
Copley Hospital is a former hospital at 301 Weston Avenue in Aurora, Illinois. Opened in 1888, the hospital was the first in Aurora, and it remained the only hospital in Aurora until 1900. The building underwent several additions and expansions over time, both to add more space and to help modernize the hospital's practices. The first of these additions came in 1916, when a new wing opened; this section brought wider hallways, elevators, patient call systems, and better-lit patient rooms to the hospital. A 1932 addition was designed by architects Schmidt, Garden & Erikson in the Neoclassical style; it included an expansion for the hospital's maternity ward and radiology and training facilities. The same architects designed another addition in 1947, which coincided with the hospital's renaming in honor of Ira C. Copley; Copley's donations had funded both the 1932 and 1947 additions. Two more additions were placed on the building in 1970 and 1980, and the hospital was closed and replaced by the new Rush–Copley Medical Center in 1995.
The hospital was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 18, 2019. The hospital is now being renovated by Fox Valley Developers LLC and Kluber Architects + Engineers.[5]
SciTech Hands-On Museum
Museum, Specialty museum, Science museum, Children's museum
Address: 18 W Benton St, 60506-6013 Aurora (Aurora)
Aurora Public Library
Public library in Aurora, Illinois. The Aurora Public Library is a public library in Aurora, Illinois, United States. It is made of up one central library with two branch libraries. In addition to these facilities the library runs a bookmobile, bringing its total service population to 200,000 people.[6]
Address: 101 South River Street, Aurora (Aurora)
Aurora Elks Lodge No. 705
Building in Aurora, Illinois. The Aurora Elks Lodge No. 705 is a Mayan style building on Stolp Island in Aurora, Illinois. It is included in the Stolp Island Historic District. The building was built in 1926 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.[7]
Address: 77 South Stolp Avenue, Aurora (Aurora)
Graham Building
Building. The Graham Building is a 1926 Prairie style building on Stolp Island in Aurora, Illinois. It was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. Also, it is a contributing property in a historic district.[8]
Address: 33 South Stolp Avenue, Aurora (Aurora)
Hometown Child Care & Learning Center
Park, Relax in park
Address: 1679 Town Center St, Aurora (Aurora)
Masonic Temple
The Masonic Temple in Aurora, Illinois was a historical building where Freemasons held meetings. Opened in 1924, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. On October 7, 2019 it was gutted by fire, leading to its subsequent demolition.[9]