"We the People: Naperville and the American Story" exhibit on display at Naper Settlement Museum
The Naper Settlement outdoor museum kicked off a year-long celebration, marking 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
In celebration, the museum opened its doors for free this President's Day, featuring a brand new exhibit.
The Declaration of Independence hits differently when you hear it delivered by a guy dressed like Alexander Hamilton.
"If you've seen the musical, you've seen the uniform," said David Nordin.
Nordin is a retired attorney and full-time Revolutionary War buff. He volunteers at the Naper Settlement Museum, where anyone can get hands-on with history.
"The sensation of history in your hands. None of the kids who come here today will forget this experience, and that's the idea," he said.
In observance of Presidents' Day, the museum opened its 13-acre campus for free and unveiled a new exhibit connecting Naperville to the 250th anniversary of the United States.
"What we want is for you not only to remember these 250 years, but to feel them, to really come and understand and feel that these moments are created by ordinary people," said Rena Tamayo-Calabrese, president and CEO of Naperville Settlement.
The exhibit, "We the People: Naperville and the American Story," highlights local stories and artifacts, including the oldest surviving map of Naperville from 1842. Visitors can also try their hand at Morse code and even operate a restored switchboard.
It feels less like listening to history and more like living it.
"God save George Washington! God save the United States of America. hip! hip! huzzah!" Nordin said.