Membership

Becoming a member is the best way for you to support our work and stay in touch! Join and pay online or download the Membership Brochure.

We also have three Business Membership levels. For details about the benefits of each levels, click HERE.

Download a Business Membership Brochure HERE.

All members receive valuable benefits, including free admission to Coffee Talks (non-members pay $10), a copy of our quarterly Cobweb history magazine, discounts on all items in our Gift Shop, free tours of the Kinder House Museum (non-members pay $5), e-Newsletters about programs and events, and more.
Thank you for supporting our work!

Join or Renew

Business Memberships

Joy of History 2026

As 2026 draws to a close, I invite you to make a gift to our annual Joy of History Campaign. Your support helps the Des Plaines History Center preserve the stories of our community and share them with the people who call it home. Your generosity helps us protect these materials and make their stories accessible through exhibits, educational programs, community events, and research. It gives students opportunities to discover local history and helps residents find connections between their own lives and the experiences of those who came before them.

Gifts of any amount make a difference.

Support Our Mission Today

Giving a Donation

Your tax-deductible donations help fund the History Center's educational programs, exhibits, historical collections preservation, and other operating expenses. The Des Plaines History Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, organized and incorporated in the State of Illinois under the name Des Plaines Historical Society. Contributions are tax deductible within the limits of current federal and state law. We issue receipts for all financial donations.

Annual Higher Education Scholarship Fund

Each year, the History Center is proud to offer a $1,000 Higher Education Scholarship to a graduating Des Plaines high school senior. Applicants write a 500-word history-related essay, list details of their school and community activities, and provide letters of recommendation from teachers and counselors. Your generous donation to this special fund helps a deserving student continue their education. Every dollar can help change a life. Thank you for your gift!