Ellwood House Association

The mission of the Ellwood House Association is the engage visitors with authentic examples of ingenuity and architecture by sharing the Ellwood mansion, gardens, and museum campus.

Ellwood House Museum welcomes thousands of visitors every year.  We have a wide variety of programs available, from an adult lecture series to children’s field trips. Volunteers are a huge part of all of these programs! Check out the descriptions below for more information on these programs and how you can get involved with these events.

Public Tours
Docent-led tours offered daily (except Monday)

Field Trips

Every year Ellwood House Museum welcomes hundreds of area students. Our most popular field trips are History Detectives (grades 2 and 3) and Hard Work: Servants and the Daily Routine (grades 4 and 5)

Ellwood Explorers

Ellwood Explorers is a series of youth educational programs. It is a series of four to five programs that take place in the summer months. Programs are designed for ages 3 and up. 

Lecture Series

Beginning in May 2016, Ellwood House Museum is presenting an adult lecture series. This once-a-month program features guest speakers who present on DeKalb related topics. 

Special Events

Ice Cream Social:This family-friendly community event brings DeKalb together for a day of ice cream, art, music, and fun. Volunteers assist by offering first floor tours of the mansion and Ellwood-Nehring House. Other volunteer opportunities are available throughout the day, manning booths and coordinating activities.

Wine on the Terrace: Our annual Wine on the Terrace fundraiser welcomes guests to the Ellwood House terraces and gardens for an elegant evening of wines, appetizers, and music. Guests also have the opportunity to take a self-guided tour through the first floor of the mansion. Volunteers are stationed throughout the mansion to answer any questions guests may have.

Holiday Open House: Every November, the Ellwood Museum partners with area businesses, community sponsors, and volunteers to decorate the mansion room-by-room on all four floors. At the end of the touring season, we open the doors for a three-day Holiday Open House weekend. Volunteers are stationed in each of the decorated rooms, presenting the history of the Ellwood House and sharing