Chicago History Museum

Civic Season 2026 | Civic Day - June 20
2026-06-20 11:00 - 15:00 (America/Chicago) | Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL, 60614, United States
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.
Included with general admission, which is FREE for Illinois residents on this day.
11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. – League of Women Voters
Want to learn more about voting in Chicago? Need to register to vote in Illinois? Come speak with the amazing volunteers from League of Women Voters about the importance of voting and civic life and register to vote on-site! 2nd floor, Jo Baskin Minow Balcony Gallery
11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. – Hands-On History | Arts Activation with Chava Mancera
Make your own art with teaching artist Chava Mancera to celebrate civic action and the LGBTQIA+ community! Share your creations with other visitors or take it home to impress your friends and family. 1st floor, Holleb Learning Center
11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. – Arts and Crafts for Social Change
1st floor, Guild Conference Room
2:00–3:00 p.m. – LGBTQIA+ Leadership: A Talk with Antonio King
Join us as we welcome Antonio King, the City of Chicago’s first ever Director of LGBTQ+ Affairs, as he discusses his experiences working with the city’s LGBTQIA+ community, the importance of this landmark new role, and the critical moment we are currently in as it impacts gender and sexual minorities locally and beyond. 1st floor, Guild Conference Room

Civic Season 2026 | Civic Day - June 27
2026-06-27 11:00 - 15:00
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.
Included with general admission, which is FREE for Illinois residents on this day.

11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. – League of Women Voters
Want to learn more about voting in Chicago? Need to register to vote in Illinois? Come speak with the amazing volunteers from League of Women Voters to talk more about the importance of voting and civic life and register to vote on-site! 2nd floor, Jo Baskin Minow Balcony Gallery
11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. – Hands-On History – Arts Activation with Chava Mancera
Come make your own art with teaching artist Chava Mancera to celebrate civic action and the nation’s Latino/a/e communities! Share your creations with other visitors or take it home to impress your friends and family. 1st floor, Holleb Learning Center
11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. – Arts and Crafts for Social Change
Chicago has a long history of protest and civic action. Come contribute to this history by making your own art to let the public know what matters to you. There will be button making, protest sign making, and even a chance to write letters to local, state, and even federal elected officials! 1st floor, Holleb Learning Center
1:00–2:30 p.m. – “Corridos of the Semiquincentennial: Voice of Courage and Hope”
This musical storytelling project developed by Sones de México Ensemble honors eight national heroes through the creation and performance of eight new traditional Mexican corridos. Corridos are epic ballads and heroic tales that date back to the 1840s. They narrate stories and celebrate remarkable acts of courage and defiance from a folk perspective.
Join us for a family-friendly presentation of these and other corridos, narrated in Spanish and English by Juan Díes and members of the ensemble, that combines live music, storytelling, projected visuals, and audience interaction.
This program is sponsored by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts | America 250.
11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. – Capstone Clique & West Side Love Map
A Westside-based collaborative of local artists and community advocates, Capstone Clique focuses on historic preservation of the West Side and the production of public-facing and interactive art, building awareness and spreading appreciation for the Westside. In partnership with local organizations and CHM, Capstone Clique developed monthly programs featuring the screening of their documentary Love Letter to the Westside, the “West Side Love Map,” an interactive mapping project to collect residents’ memories of key West Side places and spaces, and an unfurling of West Side-focused materials from CHM’s collection.
Join us to see the amazing work this group has co-created with community members and engage in your own hands-on arts activities, too! 1st floor, Guild Conference Room
In addition to this day’s full slate of programming, CHM is excited to partner with Illinois Humanities, the Illinois America 250 Commission, and StoryCorps Studios to host the “Illinois Voices 240 Community Recording Day.” Come to CHM and record a time-capsule conversation with other Illinoisans. Let future generations know who you are, what you care about, and what you think is important about this moment in our country’s history. Recorded conversations will be archived at the Library of Congress!

Civic Season 2026 | Independence Day – July 4
2026-07-04 10:00 - 14:00
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.
Included with general admission, which is FREE for Illinois residents on this day.

10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. – Arts and Crafts for Social Change
Chicago has a long history of protest and civic action. Come contribute to this history by making your own art to let the public know what matters to you. There will be button making, protest sign making, and even a chance to write letters to local, state, and even federal elected officials! 2nd floor, Elizabeth Morse Genius Room
Then, show off your patriotic spirit and come get your face painted by Party Picasso and Face Painting by Valery with Independence Day-themed designs!

10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. – Fun in the Sun Outdoor Activities
Join us for family-friendly games to kick the day off right! Great for young children and adults alike. Outdoor plaza, east side of Museum

10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. – Reopening of Facing Freedom
As part of our US at 250 celebrations this year, we’ve updated our longstanding exhibition Facing Freedom! Come explore this powerful exhibition that explores Chicago’s and the nation’s past, asking the question: What can we do for freedom? 1st floor, Facing Freedom
While you explore the gallery, join our museum educators for fun activities helping you consider the ways you can fight for freedom in your own lives and communities.

10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. – Our 250th Wish Wall
What is your wish for the nation’s future? Across the nation, hundreds of communities in partnership with Made by Us are hosting Wish Walls to invite visions for our nation’s future. Let others know your wish by leaving a message on CHM’s digital Wish Wall. 1st floor, Guild Gallery

11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. – Art as Civic Action | Arts Making with Chava Mancera
Want to have your voice heard through art? What would you like political leaders to know your wishes for the nation’s birthday? Join Chava Mancera to create artistic responses celebrate the holiday and advocate for an even better future! 1st floor, Holleb Learning Center

11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. – Freedom Song Sing-Along with Lenny Marsh and Friends
Music has long been used to unite people. Connect with your fellow Chicagoans through songs of freedom led by Lenny Marsh and Friends! 2nd floor, Morse Genius Chicago Room

12:00–2:00 p.m. – Poems While You Wait
Come get your own, unique poem typed in 10–15 minutes typed by a professional poet on a typewriter right in before your eyes! All poems are free and can be of any topic, especially those related to civic engagement, independence, and justice for all. 2nd floor, Jo Baskin Minow Balcony Gallery
Poems While You Wait supports Rose Metal Press, a 501(c)3 non-profit independent publisher of literary hybrid genres specializing in flash fiction and nonfiction; prose poetry; novels-in-verse or book-length linked poems; and more!

1:00–2:00 p.m. – US at 250 Trivia
What do you know about the nation’s history? Test your knowledge with trivia celebrating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Individuals or small groups are welcome, and there will be prizes for the top winners! 2nd floor, Morse Genius Chicago Room
