Exhibition Tours
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Exhibition Tours
Self-Guided Exhibition Tours
Stroll through the galleries at your own pace on a self-guided tour. Experience the city's greatest triumphs and trials in the Museum's permanent exhibition, Chicago: Crossroads of America. Get a bird's eye view of Chicago's transformation in the Imagining Chicago Diorama Hall. Celebrate the grandeur of Chicago's world fairs through Chicago Treasures installations throughout the Museum.
Discover the city's rich history through temporary exhibitions. Please schedule self-guided tours two to three weeks in advance. Audio tours of Chicago: Crossroads of America are available for an additional $2 per person.
Cost: $9 for adults; $8 for seniors and students
Time: 2-4 hours
Group Size: 10 to 100
> Learn more about current and upcoming exhibitions
Guided Exhibition Tours
The Museum offers guided tours of several permanent and temporary exhibitions to help you make the most of your visit. Your visit includes a tour led by a trained docent in the gallery of your choice. Please schedule four to six weeks in advance.
Cost: $12 for adults; $11 for seniors and students
Time: 50–60 minutes
Group Size: 10 to 60
Guided exhibition tours available through 2009 include:
Highlights of Chicago
Discover Chicago's transformation from a smelly swamp to a thriving metropolis touring highlights of our permanent exhibition, Chicago: Crossroads of America. Experience the city's greatest triumphs and trials. Immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of the past as you climb aboard ‘L' Car No. 1. Feel history come alive as you explore innovations in fashion, entertainment, and architecture. Discover how the city changed with each crisis—from the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 to the riots of 1968. Celebrate the city's love affair with its sports teams.
Chicago's World's Fairs
Experience the grandeur of the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 and the Century of Progress Exposition of 1933–1934. Imagine the splendor of Chicago's first world's fair with its magnificent white buildings and unusual exhibitions. Picture yourself as a fairgoer at the second world's fair—enjoying the urban oasis along the shores of Lake Michigan during the depths of the Great Depression. Understand how the fairs inspired millions of visitors and introduced innovations that touch our lives today.
Catholic Chicago
March 8, 2008–January 4, 2009
Learn about the lives, experiences, and social contributions of past and present Catholics in Chicago. Delve into how the experience of being Catholic has transformed over time and explore education, the parish, worship, social action, and community celebrations.
Chic Chicago: Couture Treasures from the Chicago History Museum
September 27, 2008–July 26, 2009
Enjoy this rare opportunity to see 50 of our greatest couture treasures—from Gilded Age gowns by Worth and Pingat to modern masterpieces by Chanel and Schiaparell. Be one of the first to see this magnificent and groundbreaking show.