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The Chicago History Museum is here to support families during these uncertain times. We know that especially now, it is more vital than ever that we stay connected with one another and with our communities. We also know that you have a lot on your plate, answering your kids’ questions, filling their time, and supporting More
What would a modern world’s fair include? Be a designer and make a prototype of an invention you would display or create a map showing what your modern fair would offer. Share your inventions or maps on social media using the hashtag #CHMatHomeFamilies. What would a modern world’s fair include? Be a designer and make More
Souvenirs help us remember the places we have visited and fun times we’ve had. People who went to the 1893 world’s fair bought lots of souvenirs! Have fun solving riddles to match them to the right souvenir. Draw a picture of your favorite or make it out of clay or playdough. Share your souvenirs on More
Get a glimpse into the construction of the first Ferris wheel by reading telegrams between the inventor and the man in charge of building it. Find inspiration in a Ferris wheel advertisement. Then write your own telegram and design an advertisement for the Ferris wheel’s opening day. Share your creations on social media using the More
Use a map of the 1893 fairgrounds to plot your imaginary visit to the world’s fair! Along the way, discover some of the exciting buildings, rides, and amusements. Share your maps and drawings on social media using the hashtag #CHMatHomeFamilies.
Read or listen to the audio of the Best of the Fair, then make a puppet of your favorite character. Use your puppet to tell your favorite part of the story or to make up a new part. Share your puppet and story on social media using the hashtag #CHMatHomeFamilies.
Chicago is famous for foods such as hot dogs, deep-dish pizza, and the fabulous neighborhood restaurants that feature food from around the world. The Chicago History Museum has many food-related items in our collection—menus, invitations to fancy dinners, cookbooks, and photographs of restaurants that all tell us the city’s food history. Families share history through More
Sometimes we learn our family history through the stories we tell. These stories are called oral histories and are a very important and fun way to learn about the past. Make sure your family stories are saved by having younger family members interview older family members. You might be surprised what you learn when you More
Even the most ordinary day is important and helps historians understand how people lived in different time periods. We can learn about people’s daily lives thanks to letters, diaries, journals, and scrapbooks. More recently, blogs and vlogs also record everyday life. In today’s challenge, you get to document one day in your life, then choose More
Photographs are one important way historians learn about the past. They tell stories about the time and place they were taken and the people and landscape that were captured. Looking at photographs can show us the things people did for fun, how a place used to look, how people dressed during a particular time period, More