Enhancements Being Made To Nature Classrooms At Buffalo Grove Park

BUFFALO GROVE, IL — Last month, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced that the Buffalo Grove Park District will receive a grant destined for local park projects across the state. As part of a $600,000 grant, the Raupp Museum will receive $226,500 for the development of Phase 2 of the educational gardens at The Nature Classroom in Mike Rylko Community Park

In all, 36 Illinois museums are receiving $19.7 million through the Illinois Public Museum Capital Grants Program to improve their facilities and develop new exhibits. The investments are part of the Illinois Public Museum Capital Grants Program, funded through Pritzker's Rebuild Illinois multi-year state capital program.

RELATED: Buffalo Grove Park District Set To Receive $600K Grant From State

According to BGPD officials, expansion at the museum began last year. Phase 1 of the educational gardens was also built through the grants program. It opened during the summer of 2022.

The second phase of the educational gardens will include more garden beds, a pollinator hotel, a water feature, a wind sculpture, more seating, more picnic tables, and more native plants. The new amenities will be built on the other side of the path from the current educational gardens.

Construction is scheduled to begin this month and will end in July. A grand-opening event is planned for July 29.

“The Raupp Museum is thrilled to receive this grant that helps us build on what we’ve already done. The educational gardens have been a huge hit with the community, so, we are really happy that we’re going to be able to make it even better," Debbie Fandrei, Raupp Museum curator, said. "Having it all in Mike Rylko Community Park makes it available to all residents all the time.”