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The Chicago History Museum is located in Old Town on the Near North Side. It’s one of the best museums in the city.
History of the Chicago History Museum
The Chicago History Museum has a collection of over 20 million artifacts and is worth at least a half day of exploration. It traces its history back to the foundation of the Chicago Historical Society in 1856. Much of the original collection, including a final draft of the Emancipation Proclamation, was destroyed in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 and another fire in 1874.
A new building opened in 1896 at 632 N. Dearborn, housing the society and collection for 36 years before moving to its current location. That building, which was designed by Graham, Anderson, Probst & White, was completed in 1932 and is now the oldest part of the museum. It has been expanded twice, first in 1972 and again in 1988. The Chicago Historical Society was renamed the Chicago History Museum in 2006.
Visiting the Chicago History Museum
Adult admission is US$19 (as of April 2024). It’s open daily except Mondays from 9:30am to 4:30pm. On Sundays, it’s open from noon to 5pm.
Treasures
As soon as you walk into the museum, you’re hit with several artifacts and photos including a 1978 Chevrolet Monte Carlo lowrider. This exhibit is called Treasures.
Chicago: Crossroads of America
The permanent exhibit is Chicago: Crossroads of America. It’s an exceptional timeline on Chicago history covering 16,000 square feet. The exhibit tells the story from the early days of the first explorers to visit what is now Chicago all the way to the present. Subjects such as the Great Chicago Fire, the 1968 Riots, 1968 Democratic National Convention, and more are examined.
Cultural aspects of Chicago are prominently on display. Items invented in the city, architecture, music, sports, and the 1893 and 1933 World’s Fairs are covered among other subjects. In addition to telling the story of the city’s development, it examines Chicago’s relationship and influence on American history and culture.
Imagining Chicago: An American City
A particularly interesting exhibit on the ground floor is called Imagining Chicago: An American City. It’s a series of dioramas that show what Chicago looked like at various points in its history.
Sensing Chicago
Sensing Chicago is a hands-on exhibit for children. It allows visitors to become a Chicago hot dog, sit in the seats from old Comiskey Park, and hear the sounds of the Chicago Fire.
Facing Freedom in America
Facing Freedom in America is a wonderful exhibit that highlights the struggle for equality. It covers eight different struggles from the 1850s to 1970s including slavery, Japanese internment, and women’s suffrage.
McCormick Theater
The Robert R. McCormick Theater presents a film called The Great Chicago Adventure. It displays major events throughout Chicago’s history. Outside the theater is a map of the city of Chicago on the floor.
Lincoln Exhibit
An exhibit on Abraham Lincoln covers his presidency, leadership, and assassination. A life mask of the president is on display. There are also drawings of Chicago in the 1860s as it would’ve appeared during Lincoln’s time in office.
Temporary Exhibits at the Chicago History Museum
Temporary exhibits during my most recent visit included two photography exhibits. There was also another exhibit showing interesting pieces of the museum’s collection that are normally kept in storage. Some of the items included Charlie Chaplin’s cane, a pail from the Titanic, a wetsuit from the Great Chicago Flood, and the table from the Appomattox Courthouse where the Civil War came to an end.
Lincoln Park
Behind the Chicago History Museum is the southern end of Lincoln Park. A famous statue of Abraham Lincoln can be found there. Abraham Lincoln: The Man was unveiled in 1887 by Augustus Saint-Gaudens (1848-1907). If you’re lucky, you’ll spot some of the endangered birds that nest near the museum.
