It pays to be a member. 

Membership offers ways to engage with others who love the city of Chicago and its history. It also allows you the opportunity to interact with our award-winning staff through exclusive member events.

Enjoy free Museum admission year-round. Your membership will pay for itself after just a few visits.

Members are invited to exclusive events including: previews & celebrations of new exhibits, the annual Members' Holiday Party, and behind-the-scenes access during Members' Open House. All Star members ($250) receive an invitation to one additional and intimate, behind-the-scenes event every year

Receive 10% off in the Museum Store, North & Clark Café, and our PhotoStore. Members also receive special pricing for all programs, tours, and events. Check out our events calendar!

The Chicago History Museum is proud to be a part of the Museum Travel Alliance (MTA), a consortium of nearly 100 museums whose supporters are passionate about cultural travel. Our members and Historical Alliance enjoy access to MTA’s highly curated selection of incredible art-focused journeys, all with the expert guidance of renowned curators and scholars. Discover a regularly updated selection of exclusive journeys, both close to home and further afield, at www.MuseumTravelAlliance.com.

Our members make Museum visits and virtual workshops free for over 60,000 students annually. Your membership contribution also guarantees a home for millions of significant historic objects, images, and documents.

We need your support now more than ever. If you are able, please consider making a gift of $500 or more and joining the Historical Alliance.

Our memberships are designed to be flexible— pick the membership that best suits your needs. Illinois residents 18 & under and children 12 and under are free every day!

All memberships include FREE admission, 10% off at the North & Clark Cafe, Museum Store & PhotoStore, special discounts on programs and events, and invitations to exclusive events.

Plus package and All-Star members also receive free parking during every visit (a great value) and reciprocity at over 800 museums throughout North America through NARM.

Have more questions or concerns? Check out our FAQ's or call 312-642-4600.

We’ve gone digital! Membership cards will now be provided in a digital format. Check out our digital membership card FAQ's

• Free Museum admission for one person (only one person can be listed on this membership level)
• Invitations to annual events
• Exhibition previews & celebrations
• Discounts on tours, programs & events
• 10% discount at the Museum Store and North & Clark Cafe plus bi-annual double discount weeks
• Monthly member communications

• Free Museum admission for two people
• Invitations to annual member-only events including exhibition previews and celebrations
• Access to an online member portal, which houses video and audio recordings of past member events, digitized Chicago History Magazines, and more

• Discounts on programs, and the PhotoStore, Museum Store and North & Clark Café, plus double discount weeks
• Monthly member communications

• Free Museum admission for four people
  
• Invitations to exclusive member-only events including exhibition previews & celebrations
• Access to an online member portal, which houses video and audio recordings of past member events, digitized Chicago History Magazines, and more
• Discounts on programs, and the PhotoStore, Museum Store and North & Clark Café, plus double discount weeks
• Monthly member communications

• Extra philanthropic support for the Museum, including a $120 fully tax deductible donation to the annual fund
• Free Museum admission for four people
• Invitations to exclusive member-only events including exhibition previews and celebrations
• Access to an online member portal, which houses recordings of past member events-both video and audio, digitized Chicago History magazines, and more
• Discounts on programs, and the PhotoStore, Museum Store and North & Clark Café, plus double discount weeks
• Monthly member e-communications
• An invitation to one intimate “behind the scenes” tour per year

Add to any package (except All Star) for just $30 and receive:

• Free parking during Museum visits
• Reciprocal benefits at over 1,200 museums through NARM
• 2 one-time passes to share with friends & family (benefit only available at Dual Plus and Household Plus levels)

Interested in contributing even more to our mission?

Consider joining our Historical Alliance by making a gift of $500 or more. All donations are 100% tax deductible. Historical Alliance supporters receive:

• Access to the Museum and Research Center for one year
  
• Free parking during every visit 
  
• Recognition in the Museum’s Annual Report 
  
• Printed As It Happens newsletter
  
• Access to an online member portal, which houses recordings of past member events-both video and audio, digitized Chicago History magazines, and more
  
• Discounts on tours, programs, events and at the PhotoStore
  
• 10% discount at the Museum Store and North & Clark Café, plus biannual double discount weeks
  
• Invitations to two (2) behind-the-scenes experiences

To join the Historical Alliance, visit chicagohistory.org/give-now or contact

Eva Rachau, director of development, at rachau@chicagohistory.org or 312.799.2116.

Chicago History Museum Membership makes the perfect gift! 

Looking for the perfect gift for the history buff in your life?

Have a friend that’s new to the city and wants to learn more about its history?

Our membership is a great way to explore Chicago’s storied history and connect with others.

Purchase a gift membership 

Select “this membership is a gift” under Registration

You can indicate where you would like the membership package sent under “gift information”

If you should have any questions, please call 312-642-4600.

Couldn't make it to a live member program? Looking for previous issues of Chicago History magazine?

Your membership grants you access to select program recordings and magazine archives through our Member Portal!

Forgot your access code? Contact Hannah Johnson, Member Relations Manager, at hjohnson@chicagohistory.org

I’ve been a member for 55 years and I’m still fascinated by Chicago’s history.
I became a member after I rented a room to host an event at the Chicago History Museum and was immediately charmed by the building and the staff.

The Chicago History Museum is a fantastic resource. One of my favorite Chicago museums. I appreciated how easy it was to take my elderly
parents to the museum (its accessible/easy to navigate if you're not especially mobile), and it was something that we can all enjoy together.

I am a member of the Chicago History Museum because I am a second generation native Chicagoan. My father was born on Germania Place only a short distance from CHM's current location. He had a lot of stories about the city in his youth and because of this I became interested in Chicago
history.

Not quite ready to join, but want to hear more? Subscribe to our newsletter & we'll let you in on all that's happening at the Chicago History Museum.