Chicago History Museum
1601 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL 60614
Museums
Explore the history of Chicago and United States through permanent and temporary exhibitions drawn from more than 20 million items in the Chicago History Museum’s collections. Showcasing photography, documents, artifacts, and interviews.
Our permanent and temporary galleries are full of Chicago stories!
“Chicago: Crossroads of America" explores the city’s development and its influence on US history. Examine a treasure trove of historical artifacts, including a chunk of the original Fort Dearborn and the actual first locomotive to operate in Chicago.
Designed for young visitors, our “Sensing Chicago” exhibition encourages them to use all five senses to discover Chicago’s history and even pretend to be a Chicago-style hot dog.\
In the dynamic film, “The Great Chicago Adventure,” experience the intensity of the Great Chicago Fire and splendor of the World’s Columbian Exposition, explore the sights of bustling Maxwell Street in the 1950s and peer down from an I-beam at the top of the Sears Tower in the 1970s.
Chicago History Museum Highlights:
City on Fire: Chicago 1871 – Designed with younger visitors in mind, this exhibition examines what life was like for Chicagoans before, during, and after the Great Chicago Fire.
Abraham Lincoln – In this installation, you’ll learn all about former president Abraham Lincoln, his leadership during the civil war, and his assassination.
Facing Freedom in America – This exhibition uses artifacts, images, and interactive displays to examine the stories behind eight conflicts over American freedom dating from the 1850s to the 1970s, including women’s suffrage and Japanese internment.
Jaffee History Trail – This outdoor, interpretive path incorporates features such as a native species garden, the Couch Tomb, and a 13,000-pound, metal blob from the 1871 Great Chicago Fire.
Illinois 250
What's happening nearby...
Frida Kahlo’s Month in Paris: A Friendship with Mary Reynolds at the Art Institute of Chicago
Mar 29 – Jul 30
Unveiling Frida Kahlo’s work for the first time in the Art Institute galleries, this exhibition focuses on the celebrated Mexican artist’s first and only trip to…
Read more about Frida Kahlo’s Month in Paris: A Friendship with Mary Reynolds at the Art Institute of Chicago
Taste of Chicago (Neighborhood Parks)
Jul 19
Taste of Chicago has been a summer staple for more than 40 years. This year, the annual foodie extravaganza will bring both neighborhood events and the…
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Chicago Air and Water Show
Aug 16 – Aug 17
The Chicago Air and Water Show presented by the City of Chicago is the largest free show of its kind in the United States. The show…
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