Welcome to the Chicago History Museum
EXPLORE OUR FEATURED EXHIBITIONS
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 MoreRemembering Dr. King: 1929–1968
Remembering Dr. King: 1929–1968 invites visitors to walk through a winding gallery that features more than 25 photographs depicting key moments in Dr. King’s work and the Civil Rights Movement, with a special focus on his time in Chicago.
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
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
Remembering Dr. King: 1929–1968
Remembering Dr. King: 1929–1968 invites visitors to walk through a winding gallery that features more than 25 photographs depicting key moments in Dr. King’s work and the Civil Rights Movement, with a special focus on his time in Chicago.
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.
Aquí en Chicago
The Chicago History Museum’s new project, Aquí en Chicago, celebrates the historically persistent cultural presence of Latino/a/x communities in Chicago. Follow along as the project evolves.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
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
Stroll past Victorian architecture and sites of Hollywood films while exploring the history of the Sheffield/DePaul neighborhood. Learn more
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Join professional guide and local resident Eduardo Arocho on this thought-provoking tour exploring the history of this iconic West Side neighborhood through the public art proudly displayed along Division Street. Learn more
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Chicago native Crystal Guerra guides you through the intersectional history of the iconic South Side. Learn more
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Teaching artist Juarez Hawkins leads this lively historical tour of the murals along the Metra underpasses linking Hyde Park Boulevard and Cornell Avenue. 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 | Pilsen Murels
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 TICKETSWalking Tour | Sheffield Stroll
Stroll past Victorian architecture and sites of Hollywood films while exploring the history of the Sheffield/DePaul neighborhood. Learn more
BUY TICKETSWalking Tour | Paseo Boricua and Humboldt Park
Join professional guide and local resident Eduardo Arocho on this thought-provoking tour exploring the history of this iconic West Side neighborhood through the public art proudly displayed along Division Street. Learn more
BUY TICKETSNEW! Bus Tour | South Chicago: A Backbone Of Steel
Chicago native Crystal Guerra guides you through the intersectional history of the iconic South Side. Learn more
BUY TICKETSWalking Tour | Hyde Park Viaduct Murals
Teaching artist Juarez Hawkins leads this lively historical tour of the murals along the Metra underpasses linking Hyde Park Boulevard and Cornell Avenue. Learn more
BUY TICKETS