CHICAGO (July 25, 2025) – The Chicago History Museum is excited to share it has acquired the collection of former Playboy Bunny/Playmate and Chicago media personality Candace Jordan thanks to funds provided by The Costume Council of the Chicago History Museum. These items add to the Museum’s large collection of Playboy-related material and contain a more personal history of Playboy in Chicago.
“These items are a great addition to our already incredible holdings surrounding the history of Playboy in Chicago,” said CHM costume collection manager Jessica Pushor. “Having an employee’s perspective, someone who worked in the clubs and for many other facets of the company, gives us a fuller picture of the importance Playboy played in the greater history of the city.”
This acquisition includes a complete Playboy Bunny of the Year costume, three sets of Bunny ears, trophies, a Playboy Mansion rule book and dozens of images and records related to Candace Jordan’s career with Playboy. Once the collection has been processed into the Museum’s collection, the 2D (paper) items will be available for scholars and researchers through the Museum’s Abakanowicz Research Center.
In 1973, Jordan first worked as a Bunny at the St. Louis Playboy Club before moving to Chicago in 1974. She worked at the original Playboy Club at 116 E. Walton Street, and for a time even lived at the Playboy Mansion at 1340 N. State Parkway. Jordan would go on to become the 1976 Chicago Bunny of the Year, the December 1979 centerfold and a nine-time Playboy cover girl. After leaving the mansion, she appeared in several films and commercials and continued her modeling career. Today she is an award-winning media personality in Chicago where she is a publisher with Chicago Star Media and a columnist. She also runs her own lifestyle blog (CandidCandace.com), podcast and YouTube channel.
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ABOUT THE CHICAGO HISTORY MUSEUM
The Chicago History Museum is situated on ancestral homelands of the Potawatomi people, who cared for the land until forced out by non-Native settlers. Established in 1856, the Museum is located at 1601 N. Clark Street in Lincoln Park, its third location. A major museum and research center for Chicago and U.S. history, the Chicago History Museum strives to be a destination for learning, inspiration, and civic engagement. Through dynamic exhibitions, tours, publications, special events and programming, the Museum connects people to Chicago’s history and to each other. The Museum collects and preserves millions of artifacts, documents, and images to assist in sharing Chicago stories. The Museum gratefully acknowledges the support of the Chicago Park District on behalf of the people of Chicago.