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The Elgin Area Historical Society & Museum has five permanent exhibits that tell the rich history of Elgin. Children can get behind the wheel of a reproduction road racecar or have their picture taken with Ralph Mulford, winner of the first road race held in 1910.

The Elgin Public Museum, built in 1907, is the only natural history museum in the Fox Valley area. Located in Lords Park, the museum offers exhibits and educational programs with natural history and cultural themes.

The Hemmens Cultural Center offers the opportunity to experience legendary entertainers and world-class performing artists in an intimate setting.  Located on the Fox River in downtown Elgin, it is a 1,200-seat theater and also contains an 11,340 square-foot exhibition hall, a fully equipped banquet kitchen, an art gallery and meeting rooms. Residents can rent space for meetings, parties and private performances.

The Elgin Symphony Orchestra is the nation's fastest growing orchestra, and one of Illinois' two premier ensembles. Performing over 50 concerts annually at the Hemmens Cultural Center, the ESO is led by a Grammy Award-winning conductor and broadcasts in 38 states. Attracting audiences from over 100 communities, it provides music lovers with a truly renowned experience. It also offers an impressive music education program for those interested in developing their talent.

The Fox River Trolley Museum sends you on a nostalgic trip back to an era when the electric trolley car was a vital part of American life. The museum operates a variety of antique trolleys including a genuine old-time trolley car that takes you on a four-mile trip along the banks of the scenic Fox River and the Jon J. Duerr Forest Preserve.

For affordable family fun, check out the Elgin Racers. They are part of the International Basketball League, a third year professional basketball league. Games are played at the Elgin Community College Spartan Events Center.

The Fox River Trail runs through the heart of Elgin. Starting in Aurora and traveling 33 miles north to Algonquin, it then connects with the McHenry County Prairie Trail to continue north all the way to the Wisconsin border.