Chicago’s story isn’t finished—it’s being written by you.

The Chicago History Museum collaborates with local community leaders, artists, and youth to set the stage every summer for Civic Season in partnership with Made By Us. Instead of a single commemorative event on Independence Day, our programming starts Juneteenth and continues with Civic Saturdays all leading toward our final program on Independence Day. Together, we’re learning from the past to write a better future. What will your chapter add to Chicago’s story?

Join us as we explore the city’s activist history to transform your ideas into action through workshops, tours, art projects, and documentaries about today’s issues.

Included with general admission. Free Ticket Day for Illinois residents.

Schedule

10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

Floating Museum – Founders

Located in park near the beginning of the History Trail, corner of LaSalle and Clark Sts.

10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.

Our 250th Wish Wall

1st Floor, Guild Gallery

Design Together: Museums as Civic Spaces

1st Floor, Guild Gallery

Questions for Civic Love: Gen Z Edition

2nd Floor, Jo Baskin Minow Lobby

Button-Making for Change

2nd Floor, Jo Baskin Minow Lobby

Designing for Change “Ask Me Volunteers”

2nd Floor, Special Exhibitions

IDEA Cart

2nd Floor, Jo Baskin Minow Lobby

Paleta Reina de Sabores

Located outside the Museum.

11:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.

Guided Tours

11:00 a.m.: Chicago: Crossroads of America

2nd Floor, Permanent Exhibition

12:00 p.m.: Designing for Change: Chicago Protest Art of the 1960s–70s

2nd Floor, Special Exhibitions

1:00 p.m.: Designing for Change: Chicago Protest Art of the 1960s–70s

2nd Floor, Special Exhibitions

2:00–3:30 p.m.

Tonika Johnson – “Folded Map Project” Interactive Talk and Mapping Activity

1st Floor, McCormick Theater

 

Presented in partnership with

The 2025 Civic Season is made possible thanks to generous support from Mars Wrigley AMERICAN HERITAGE® Chocolate, P&G, StickerGiant, Frontline Impact Project, KIND and other supporters and collaborators.