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...
Chicago St. Patrick's Day Parade & River Dyeing
Mar 14 @ 10AM
Chicago is home to one of the world's most famous St. Patrick's Day celebrations, with traditions going back more than 175 years.
Read more about Chicago St. Patrick's Day Parade & River Dyeing
Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2)
McCormick Place South • Mar 27 – Mar 29
Pop culture fans, assemble!
Read more about Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2)
EXPO CHICAGO Contemporary Art Fair
Navy Pier • Apr 09 – Apr 12
EXPO CHICAGO Contemporary Art Fair celebrates contemporary and modern art with a diverse schedule of cultural programming and contemporary art installations.
Read more about EXPO CHICAGO Contemporary Art FairYou might also be interested...
A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum
Chicago
A fascinating complement to the Pullman National Monument, this Chicago museum celebrates the inspiring history of Black labor in the United States, highlighting the contributions of…
Read more about A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum
Jane Addams Hull House Museum
Chicago
Honoring Jane Addams’ legacy, the Hull House explores immigration, labor rights, and social reform. Her pioneering work in justice, activism, and the settlement house movement helped…
Read more about Jane Addams Hull House Museum