(This article by Colorado-based writer Judy Christie originally appeared in the June 2025 issue of Military Officer, a magazine available to all MOAA Premium and Life members. Learn more about the magazine here; learn more about joining MOAA here.)

Independence Day is one of the best times to experience summer in Chicago, and 2026 brings “a tremendous series of public exhibitions and fireworks throughout the summer” at the Navy Pier — home to family-friendly activities, carnival rides, dining, boat excursions, and sweeping skyline views.

Plus, on the South Side, the Obama Presidential Center is scheduled to open in the spring that year. The center is planning a summer of free public events and activities to bring the themes of the Declaration of Independence to life.

A short train ride out of the city will take you to the Peoria Riverfront Museum, which has enlisted documentarian Ken Burns as guest curator for its upcoming semiquincentennial, one-of-a kind exhibition.

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And don’t miss the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, where you will learn how America’s 16th president helped shape our country.

“Anyone who wants to fully appreciate this important national anniversary needs to understand Lincoln’s role, and there’s no better place to learn about Abraham Lincoln than here at his library and museum,” said Christina Shutt, executive director and member of the Illinois America 250 Commission. “It’s fair to say that without his leadership amid our greatest crisis, we would not have America as we know it today.”

Something Extra: Ken Burns’ six-part documentary, The American Revolution, examines how America’s founding turned the world upside down. It will be released by PBS in November, with special screenings this year and in 2026 in cities across the country, including Chicago.