Welcome to the Chicago History Museum
EXPLORE OUR FEATURED EXHIBITIONS
Now Open! Back Home: Polish Chicago
Through the lens of Chicago’s Polish communities, experience the journeys immigrants have taken to get to the city, the ways they have established themselves in its neighborhoods, and the duality of feeling a deep connection to two places at once.
Learn MoreCity on Fire: Chicago 1871
A rapidly growing city built of wood. A summer-long heat wave. An exhausted and misdirected team of firefighters. Racial, social, and economic tensions bubbling just below the surface. All Chicago needed was a spark.
Learn MoreMillions of Moments
Featuring 150 images from the Museum’s Chicago Sun-Times collection, Millions of Moments is a first look at highlights from five million negatives spanning the 1940s to the early 2000s—one of the largest newspaper photograph collections ever acquired by a US museum.
Learn MoreFacing Freedom in America
What does freedom mean? From women’s suffrage and the formation of labor unions to Japanese internment and a local school boycott, this exhibition uses images, artifacts, and interactive elements to explore some of the ways Americans have struggled over the meaning of freedom.
Learn MoreEXPLORE OUR FEATURED EXHIBITIONS
Now Open! Back Home: Polish Chicago
Through the lens of Chicago’s Polish communities, experience the journeys immigrants have taken to get to the city, the ways they have established themselves in its neighborhoods, and the duality of feeling a deep connection to two places at once.
Learn More
City on Fire: Chicago 1871
A rapidly growing city built of wood. A summer-long heat wave. An exhausted and misdirected team of firefighters. Racial, social, and economic tensions bubbling just below the surface. All Chicago needed was a spark.
Learn More
Millions of Moments
Featuring 150 images from the Museum’s Chicago Sun-Times collection, Millions of Moments is a first look at highlights from five million negatives spanning the 1940s to the early 2000s—one of the largest newspaper photograph collections ever acquired by a US museum.
Learn More
Facing Freedom in America
What does freedom mean? From women’s suffrage and the formation of labor unions to Japanese internment and a local school boycott, this exhibition uses images, artifacts, and interactive elements to explore some of the ways Americans have struggled over the meaning of freedom.
Learn MoreWHAT’S HAPPENING AT CHM?
Explore the city with our expert guides, delve into our exhibitions through thematic programs, or discover Chicago history through family-friendly activities.
Supportive Space for Trans Joy
Learn about the work of local LGBTQIA+ organizations that have fought for transgender rights for years and continue their support through serviceable action and promoting joy in the community. Join us for a talk with moderator Kim L. Hunt of Pride Action Tank and panelists Myles Brady Davis of Equality Illinois and Bonsai Bermúdez of Youth Empowerment Performance Project.
Learn More
UPCOMING EVENTS
On this tour, explore stories of recovery from the 1871 Great Chicago Fire and the neighborhood as the center of Chicago bohemianism in the 1960s and 1970s. Learn more
BUY TICKETS
Walk through Pilsen with local guide Luis Tubens and get the larger meaning behind the artwork in Chicago’s capital of Mexican cultures. Learn more
BUY TICKETS
Visit the former fairgrounds with CHM director of exhibitions Paul Durica and learn about the collective effort, sacrifices, and successes that made the World’s Columbian Exposition possible. Learn more
BUY TICKETS
Take a closer look at one of America’s last great railway terminals as you learn the architectural facts, transport history, and intriguing narratives of Union Station. Learn more
BUY TICKETS
Whisk away to a time when Chicago’s rich and famous caroused on the coast. Learn more
BUY TICKETS
LEARN AND CONNECT WITH CHM
CHM strives to be a destination for learning, inspiration and civic engagement. Through dynamic exhibitions, tours, programs, digital resources, and special events, the Museum connects people to Chicago’s history and to each other.
ABAKANOWICZ RESEARCH CENTER
Home to the Chicago History Museum’s archives, manuscripts, photographs, and more, the Abakanowicz Research Center (ARC) is one of the premier research facilities in Chicago. With free admission, the ARC helps fulfill the Museum’s mission to be a destination for learning and to connect people to Chicago’s history. We look forward to welcoming you!
Learn MoreSupport the Museum
SUPPORT OUR MISSION BY BECOMING A MEMBER
Membership offers ways to engage with others who love the city of Chicago and its history and opportunities to interact with our award-winning staff. Enjoy free admission, behind-the-scenes experiences, special discounts, and more!
Walking Tour | Historic Old Town
On this tour, explore stories of recovery from the 1871 Great Chicago Fire and the neighborhood as the center of Chicago bohemianism in the 1960s and 1970s. Learn more
BUY TICKETSWalking Tour | Pilsen Murals
Walk through Pilsen with local guide Luis Tubens and get the larger meaning behind the artwork in Chicago’s capital of Mexican cultures. Learn more
BUY TICKETSNEW! Walking Tour | Working the World's Columbian Exposition
Visit the former fairgrounds with CHM director of exhibitions Paul Durica and learn about the collective effort, sacrifices, and successes that made the World’s Columbian Exposition possible. Learn more
BUY TICKETSWalking Tour | Union Station
Take a closer look at one of America’s last great railway terminals as you learn the architectural facts, transport history, and intriguing narratives of Union Station. Learn more
BUY TICKETSWalking Tour | Glitterati on the Gold Coast
Whisk away to a time when Chicago’s rich and famous caroused on the coast. Learn more
BUY TICKETS