- Plan Your Visit
Plan Your Visit
-
![]()
Things to Do
-
![]()
Places to Go
-
![]()
Places to Stay
-
![]()
Explore Our Past
-
![]()
Trip Ideas
Trip Ideas
- Eco-Friendly Hotels and Green Getaways in Illinois
- College Football in Illinois
- Journey Along the Lincoln Highway
- Illinois Shopping
- Route 66
- IL ♥ LGBTQ
- Golf Illinois
- Chicago Neighborhoods
- Family Fun in Illinois
- Everybody Outside!
- Bike Illinois
- Outdoor Adventures in Illinois
- Chicago to Alton
- Chicago to Carbondale
- Illinois Scenic Byways
- Chicago to Quincy
- Fall Road Trips in Illinois
- Fall Colors on the Great River Road
-
![]()
Events
Events
Find out what's on in Illinois and Chicago with your guide to events, festivals, markets, music, theater, sports and more.
-
![]()
Road Trip
Stories & Highlights
-
![]()
Seasonal Adventures
-
![]()
Maps & Visitor Guides
-
![]()
Getting Here & Getting Around
Getting Here & Getting Around
Find out how to get to Illinois by plane, train, bus and driving. Getting around Chicago and Illinois is easy with our guide to ways to travel around the state.
-
![]()
My Favorites
-
![]()
Around Illinois by Amtrak
Around Illinois by Amtrak
Step back in time to the golden age of train travel and settle in for a peaceful ride to discover some of Illinois’ most charming towns and hidden treasures.
-
Things to Do
Places to Go
Places to Stay
Explore Our Past
Trip Ideas
Events
Road Trip
Seasonal Adventures
Maps & Visitor Guides
Getting Here & Getting Around
My FavoritesInformation
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.
Visit chicagohistory.org or call 312-642-4600 for visitor information and for a full schedule of museum public programs and events.
Contact Details
-
Address:
1601 N. Clark St.
Chicago
IL 60614 - Phone: (312) 642-4600
- Email: pressinfo@chicagohistory.org
- Website: Visit Website
What's Happening Near Chicago
Chicago Blues Festival
With a diverse lineup celebrating the blues’ past, present and future, the Chicago Blues Festival sh...
Read MorePride in the Park Chicago
It’s all about celebrating LGBTQ pride in both Windy City and the Midwest when Pride in the Park Chi...
Read MoreTaste of Chicago (neighborhood Taste pop-ups)
Taste of Chicago has been a summer staple for more than 40 years. This year, the annual foodie extra...
Read MoreNASCAR Chicago Street Race
NASCAR takes over Grant Park this July, featuring two days of racing and non-stop entertainment.
Read MoreWindy City Smokeout
Country music, barbecue, and craft beer — it’s hard to think of a better way to spend a summer weeke...
Read MoreMJ: The Musical at the James M. Nederlander Theatre
The music. The showmanship. The icon. Now, the unparalleled artistry of the greatest entertainer of ...
Read MoreLollapalooza
Each year at Lollapalooza, some of the top names in alternative, hip hop, punk and pop join more tha...
Read MoreTaste of Chicago - Grant Park
Taste of Chicago has been a summer staple for more than 40 years. This year, the annual foodie extra...
Read MoreLocation
Discover top travel stories and even more reasons to #EnjoyIllinois with our free magazine.
Get Your Copy Now!
