Fabyan Forest Preserve off-season: what's open in Geneva

Fabyan Forest Preserve is one of Geneva's best-known places, and right now it is in its quiet season. The museum, the Japanese Garden and the windmill are closed for the year, but the preserve itself stays open daily from sunrise to sunset. Here is what that means if you are heading over this fall or winter.

What is open right now

The grounds. The Forest Preserve District of Kane County keeps Fabyan open every day from sunrise to sunset. The preserve sits along the Fox River just north of Fabyan Parkway, with entrances on both Route 31 (1925 S. Batavia Ave.) on the west side and Route 25 on the east side.

The district describes Fabyan as one of its busiest preserves. People come to fish along the river and to walk, jog and bike the trails, including the bridge across the Fox River. Public restrooms are near the North Parking Lot.

What is closed until spring

• Fabyan Villa Museum. Closed for the season. Preservation Partners of the Fox Valley, which runs the museum, says it reopens May 1, 2027.
• Fabyan Japanese Garden. Also closed, and also set to reopen to the public on May 1, 2027.
• Fabyan Windmill. Closed for the season. Its public hours are Sundays from noon to 3 p.m., from the first Sunday in June through the final Sunday in September.

The three landmarks, in brief

The Villa. George and Nelle Fabyan lived here from 1908 to 1939. An existing farmhouse was enlarged and remodeled by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1907, and the house is on the National Register of Historic Places. Inside, the museum covers the Fabyans' Riverbank estate, Wright's design, their taxidermy and Asian art collections, and the codebreaking and acoustics research done at the Riverbank Laboratories they funded, including the work of William and Elizebeth Smith Friedman.

The Japanese Garden. This fenced, roughly one-acre garden was designed around 1910 by Japanese landscape architect Taro Otsuka for the Fabyans. Look for the Moon Bridge, the Tea House and the oversized lantern when it reopens. Admission is free, and donations are appreciated.

The Windmill. On the east side of the preserve, at 1500 Crissey Ave., stands a 68-foot, five-story Dutch windmill dating to around 1870. It was fully restored in 2003 and 2004.

How the estate became a preserve

The Fabyans spent about 20 years building their Riverbank estate, which grew to more than 300 acres with a model farm, greenhouses, gardens and the windmill. After their deaths in 1936 and 1939, the Forest Preserve District of Kane County bought 235 acres of the estate and created the preserve you can walk today.

Planning a visit for next season

If you want to see inside, mark May 1, 2027 on the calendar. During the 2026 season, guided Villa tours ran at 11 a.m. on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays for $10 per person, and self-guided visits ran noon to 3 p.m. on those days for $5 for adults, $3 for ages 5 to 17 and free for ages 4 and under. Check ppfv.org for 2027 hours and prices before you go.

A few practical notes from Preservation Partners:

• The Villa is about a half-mile walk from the closest parking, on a paved path that winds up a hill.
• The Japanese Garden is about a quarter mile from the north lot, along a flat, paved service road. Inside, paths are mulch and gravel with some stairs and two steep bridges.
• There are no public restrooms in the museum.
• Group tours of the Villa and garden are offered Thursdays from May through September.

For private windmill tours, the Forest Preserve District takes appointments at 630-232-5980.