National Shrine of St. Therese

This shrine to the Little Flower is somewhat dated, but very nice. There are some nice displays and good information. The gift shop is well stocked and has very reasonable prices. The Carmelites are friendly and welcoming.

The shrine is very nice, open to the public, has daily mass and has a very nice sitting area to take a look at all the artifacts.
If you need any sort of Catholic/​Christian gift /​book /​item this is the place to go.
We’ve driven out of our way to go here because we can’t find what we want anywhere else, not even online.

The National Shrine of St. Therese is a very peaceful place. It is tucked away in Darien, a quiet suburb of Chicago, and easily accessible from I-​55. There is much to explore both inside and outside the museum. On a mild, sunny day, walk the grounds behind the museum and spend time around the lake. Inside the museum, you will find a lovely statue of Saint Therese and various artifacts from her life. Some of these include the saint’s prayer book, trinkets, writings, and relics. In addition, the museum has vast collections of figurines of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and rosaries.
The gift shop carries some nice items. It contains books, statues, and other religious goods – such as scapulars and rosaries. If you are interested in Carmelite spirituality, this is the place to shop. They have books you would not find at other book stores, Catholic or otherwise.
My one criticism of the shrine concerns the chapel. It is very modern. The tabernacle is located in a closet, not an appropriate place. There are also chairs set up in the round with nowhere to kneel. Renovations really need to be done to make the chapel a true house of God.
Overall, though, I think this is a special place worth a visit. It is small, so I would not suggest traveling long distance to see it – unless you have a special devotion to Saint Therese.

I’m very pleased to have the opportunity to visit this 50 acre lot of pure tranquility. There’s a small museum here dedicated to my patron saint, St, Therese. I felt the closeness and warmth while I was inside, looking through her pictures, relics and reading her words. There’s a gift shop, a retreat house and a small chapel too. But my favorite of all is the back where the station of the cross is located. The trees, lake and the stillness gave me a sense of peace. We sat on the bench, just seizing the moment.
A very beautiful place to visit for devotees and non-​devotees alike. I shall visit again when I’m in the area.
(Pictures above)

This is a very small museum/​chapel/​shrine. It’s right near where I work and I have been here numerous times. The Gift Shop is a great place for religious gifts. Some of St. Theresa’s memorabilia is here in glass cases. A bit of her bone, flesh, piece of her habit, carpet and curtains from her house in Lesiux, a rocking chair she used as a child. Don’t miss the room with the Ancient Rosaries. All mounted on the wall — some date back to the late 1700’s. Very interesting. The chapel holds services every day at 11:30 a.m. I went at my lunch hour and practically had the place to myself to take pictures. The large wood carving in the Chapel is amazing. Go in and see it up close. It’s the largest wood carving in the United States of a religious nature. It’s on the Frontage Road off I-​55 and Cass. Take the road by the Shell Gas Station and follow it around. Signs direct you. It’s easy to find. Worth a visit if you like finding unusual and different things to see, or are into the Saints and Religious History. Won’t take more than 15 minutes of your time.