The Guild

Supporting the Chicago History Museum for Over 75 Years

Founded in 1948, the mission of The Guild of the Chicago History Museum is to support the Museum’s goals and objectives through education, service, and fundraising. We are committed to assisting with a variety of the Chicago History Museum’s needs and we provide funding for many major projects. From 1967 to 1975, The Guild contributed over $50,000 to the campaign to build a new wing for the Museum. In a modernization project launched in 1985, The Guild raised over $1 million, making it the largest support group donor to the campaign. To honor this achievement, the original 1932 Georgian-style building was dedicated to The Guild.

The Guild focuses on promoting the Chicago History Museum’s programs and groundbreaking exhibitions and has contributed nearly $2.5 million for recent projects, including:

2022–24 All Aboard: Restoring L Car No. 1
2021 Richard M. and Shirley H. Jaffee History Trail
2020 Richard M. and Shirley H. Jaffee History Trail and the online experience, Democracy Limited: Chicago Women and the Vote
2017–19 Chicago Metro History Fair
2016 Annual benefit promoting the exhibition, Spies, Traitors and Saboteurs: Fear and Freedom in America
2015 Guild Gallery renovation
2014 Lead sponsor of The 1968 Exhibit

A dynamic group of 200 members, The Guild today continues to provide strong support to the Chicago History Museum as it pursues its mission through engaging programs and annual giving.

Continue the tradition of annual giving through the Guild. Support our current $50,000 pledge to the Chicago History Museum for general operating and a catalogue for the Aquí en Chicago project.

Donate to the Guild

Contact Us

Interested in joining The Guild? Contact Hannah Johnson, member relations manager at hjohnson@chicagohistory.org. Membership is by nomination only.

View the Guild Membership Brochure

The Guild partnered with the International Women Associates for a talk on women in the foreign service to celebrate International Women’s Day in March 2025.

The Dredge, a well-known Chicago men's choral group, performed a selection of traditional Christmas songs at the annual Guild holiday party.

In celebration of “Guild Day” on November 13, 2024, and their 75th anniversary, members treated Museum visitors and employees to a slice of cheesecake.

Guests were transported back to the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition to celebrate the Guild-supported renovations of historic L car no. 1.

On a beautiful sunny day, Guild members and guests toured Dora Aalbregtse’s magnificent garden in Winnetka. The tour was followed by an outdoor lunch at a local restaurant.

Guild members enjoyed a field trip to Holy Trinity Polish Catholic Church, along with other cultural sites.

Guild members enjoyed a special performance of Polish folk music at the “Back Home: Polish Chicago” benefit event.

Guild members celebrated the holidays at their annual holiday party.

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The Guild celebrated the opening of the Guild-sponsored rain garden on the Richard M. and Shirley H. Jaffee History Trail.

The Guild enjoyed a summer field trip to Posy Krehbiel's rarely accessible historic garden.