Chicago History Museum

OUT at CHM | Downtown LGBTQIA+ Stories Walking Tour
2025-10-18 10:00 - 12:00 (America/Chicago) | 11 East Ida B. Wells Dr, 11 East Ida B. Wells Dr, Chicago, IL, 60605
Did you know that Chicago is home to the very first LGBTQIA+ rights organization in the US (1924) AND the first Pride Parade in the world (1970)?
On this tour with guide Mike McMains of Tours with Mike, discover Chicago’s hidden LGBTQIA+ stories from the 19th century to today while exploring the city’s downtown area. Learn why LGBTQIA+ people were forced to live in the shadows in fear of legal and social repercussions, how they began to claim their own spaces in the city, and the development of one of the largest and most vibrant queer communities in the United States. Hear stories about:

A Nobel Peace Prize winner’s secret, lesbian romance
The homosexual illustrator whose works graced more covers of The Saturday Evening Post than even Norman Rockwell
Why downtown Chicago was so active with homosexual activity during the mid-20th century
The influential, Chicago activist campaigning for city and national officials to act during the AIDS crisis
The country’s first Gay Liberation March

Attendees can enhance their tour experience by using their smartphones to view historical photographs related to the tour topics.
$25, $22.50 members
Tour runs approximately 90–120 minutes. Meet just outside the storefront of the former Reset MedSpa (11 E. Ida B. Wells Dr., Chicago, IL 60605). The tour ends at the Richard J. Daley Center (50 W. Washington St., Chicago, IL 60602).
Tour also includes free admission to the Chicago History Museum, good for one week from tour date.
Masks are optional for our outdoor walking tours. Learn more about our COVID-19 safety policies and procedures
October is LGBT History Month! Join us for our OUT at CHM tour series this month with Mike McMains of Tours with Mike. Each tour is sold separately:

Saturday, October 11, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. – Walking Tour | North Side LGBTQIA+ Stories (also National Coming Out Day!)
Saturday, October 25, 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. – Bus Tour | South Side LGBTQIA+ Stories

Partner Event | Film Screening - "A Brief History of Chasing Storms"
2025-10-18 11:30 - 13:00 | Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL, 60614, United States

Partner Event | Film Screening – “One Golden Summer"
2025-10-18 14:00 - 16:00 | Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL, 60614, United States

Walking Tour | Hyde Park Murals
2025-10-19 11:00 - 13:00 | Pepperland Apartment building, 1509–1517 E. 57th Street, Chicago, IL, 60615
Join artist and educator Juarez Hawkins for a lively historical tour of the murals along the Metra underpasses linking Hyde Park Boulevard and Cornell Avenue in Hyde Park, one of the city’s most engaging neighborhoods. Take a close look at public art that tells distinctive stories about Chicago and its history, including Astrid Fuller’s Spirit of Hyde Park (1973) and William Walker’s Children of Goodwill (1977). We’ll also touch on the issues surrounding content, restoration, and reinterpretation.
$25, $22.50 members
Tour runs 1.5 to 2 hours. Meet at the Pepperland Apartment building at 1509–1517 E. 57th Street, adjacent to the 57th Street Metra Stop.
Tour also includes free admission to the Chicago History Museum, good for one week from tour date.
Masks are optional for our outdoor walking tours. Learn more about our COVID-19 safety policies and procedures.

Walking Tour | Sheffield Stroll
2025-10-19 12:00 - 14:00 | Fullerton Red/Brown Line L stop, 943 W. Fullerton Ave., Chicago, IL, 60614
Join CHM History Buff volunteer guide Dave Gudewicz to explore the history of the Sheffield/DePaul neighborhood. The area was once home to immigrants who worked in the local factories, then wealthy Victorian-era families, and is now home to a university and its students. Stroll past Italianate and Queen Anne-style architecture and see the sites of Hollywood films. The tour concludes at the family-owned Kelly’s Pub where you’re welcome to grab a drink with the guide.
Tour runs 1.5 to 2 hours. Meet at the street-level entrance of the Fullerton Red/Brown Line L stop.
$25, $22.50 members
Tour also includes free admission to the Chicago History Museum, good for one week from tour date.

Partner Event | Film Screening – "Shorts 4: City & State"
2025-10-19 12:30 - 14:30 | IL

Partner Event | Film Screening - "Luisa"
2025-10-19 15:00 - 17:00 | Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL, 60614, United States

Walking Tour | Paseo Boricua and Humboldt Park
2025-10-25 10:00 - 11:30 | Ciclo Urbano, 2459 W. Division St., Chicago, IL, 60622
Join professional guide and local resident Eduardo Arocho on a walk through Humboldt Park.
Located on the Northwest Side of Chicago, the community has been defined by its strong cultural presence throughout the ages. Humboldt Park was named after naturalist and geographer Alexander von Humboldt (1759–1859) in 1869. Interestingly, the one time that von Humboldt visited the United States, he did not travel to Chicago. The community was annexed into Chicago the same year as its naming, following the creation of the West Park System (which also includes Douglass and Garfield Park). These three parks––connected by the Boulevard Park System––were established to provide Chicago residents with some relief from the congested landscape of the city.
In a city known for its cultural and ethnic diversity, Humboldt Park stands out as the center of Puerto Rican culture in both Chicago and the American Midwest. Since the 1960s, it has been home to Chicago’s Puerto Rican community. This thought-provoking tour explores the history of the iconic West Side neighborhood through the public art proudly displayed along the six blocks of Division Street (Paseo Boricua) and in Humboldt Park.
$25, $22.50 members
Tour runs approximately 90 minutes. Meet at Ciclo Urbano, 2459 W. Division Street, Chicago, IL 60622.
Tour also includes free admission to the Chicago History Museum, good for one week from tour date.
Masks are optional for our outdoor walking tours. Learn more about our COVID-19 safety policies and procedures.
Tour presented in partnership with Paseo Boricua Tour Company.

NEW! OUT at CHM Bus Tour | South Side LGBTQIA+ Stories
2025-10-25 10:00 - 12:00 | Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph St., Chicago, IL, 60601
Did you know that Chicago is home to the very first LGBTQIA+ rights organization in the US (1924) AND the first Pride Parade in the world (1970)?
When people think of Chicago’s LGBTQIA+ neighborhoods, North Side areas like Northalsted (Boystown) and Andersonville often come to mind first. The city’s South Side, however, had lively LGBTQIA+ activity generations before any North Side neighborhood and frequently shaped culture across the nation. This tour with Mike McMains of Tours with Mike puts a spotlight on the South Loop’s and Bronzeville’s fascinating neighborhood evolutions along with their hidden LGBTQIA+ histories, including the:

“Mother of the Blues” and the “Godfather of House Music”
Drag ball scene drawing diverse crowds from across the city
First Black woman playwright to have a show on Broadway
City’s most notorious former vice districts
Legendary sites shaping house music

Attendees can enhance their tour experience by using their smartphones to view historical photographs related to the tour topics.
$50, $45 members
Tour runs approximately 90–120 minutes. This tour meets and ends in front of the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph St., Chicago, IL 60601
Tour also includes free admission to the Chicago History Museum, good for one week from tour date
Masks are optional but encouraged for our bus tours. Learn more about our COVID-19 safety policies and procedures.
October is LGBT History Month! Join us for our OUT at CHM tour series this month with Mike McMains of Tours with Mike. Each tour is sold separately:

Saturday, October 11, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. – Walking Tour | North Side LGBTQIA+ Stories (also National Coming Out Day!)
Saturday, October 18, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. – Walking Tour | Downtown LGBTQIA+ Stories

Exhibition Opening | Aquí en Chicago
2025-10-25 10:00 - 16:00 | Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL, 60614, United States
Join us to celebrate the opening of Aquí en Chicago! Enjoy live music, check out community-based vendors and organizations, engage in arts activations, listen to public talks, and go on curator-led tours.
Included with general admission, which is FREE for Illinois residents on this day.
Schedule
10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. – Film Screenings
1st floor, Robert R. McCormick Theater
11:00–11:45 a.m. – Welcome and Introductions

Elena Gonzales, PhD, Lead Curator of Aquí en Chicago

Ester Trujillo, PhD, Aquí en Chicago Community Advisory Committee member

Lilia Fernández, PhD, Aquí en Chicago Community Awareness Council member

11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. – Make-and-Take Arts Activities for All Ages
Led by teaching artist Chava Mancera. 1st floor, Guild Conference Room
12:00–1:00 p.m. – Presentation and Gallery Tour
Join us for a presentation by Aquí en Chicago summer 2025 interns, followed by a tour of Chicago: Crossroads of America. 2nd floor, Morse Genius Chicago Room
12:00–3:00 p.m. – In-Gallery Curator Interpreters of Aquí en Chicago

Elena Gonzales, PhD, Curator of Civic Engagement and Social Justice

Jojo Galván Mora, Digital Humanities Fellow

Rebekah Coffman, Curator of Religion and Community History

1:00–1:30 p.m. – Presentation and Performance by the Kichwa Community of Chicago. 2nd floor, Morse Genius Chicago Room
1:30–2:30 p.m. – Dance Performance by Ballet Folklórico de Chicago. 2nd floor, Morse Genius Chicago Room
3:00–4:00 p.m. – Musical Performance by Escuelita Bombera de Corazón. 2nd floor, Morse Genius Chicago Room

SOLD OUT! Walking Tour | Pilsen Murals
2025-10-25 10:30 - 12:30 | National Museum of Mexican Art, 1852 W. 19th St., Chicago, IL, 60608
Experience the grandness of Pilsen’s murals with local poet and multidisciplinary artist Luis Tubens. As you walk through Chicago’s capital of Mexican cultures, get the larger meaning behind the public art on railroad viaducts, buildings, and doors, which shows an evolution of the community’s Mexican identity, heritage, and activism. The tour weaves the history of Pilsen with vibrant murals and lived personal experiences.
$25, $22.50 members
Tour runs 1.5 to 2 hours. Meet outside the National Museum of Mexican Art, 1852 West 19th Street.
Tour also includes free admission to the Chicago History Museum, good for one week from tour date.
Masks are optional for our outdoor walking tours. Learn more about our COVID-19 safety policies and procedures.
This tour is presented in partnership with Pilsen Public Art Tours.

Walking Tour | Historic Prairie Avenue
2025-10-26 12:00 - 14:00 | Glessner House, 1800 S. Prairie Ave., Chicago, IL, 60616, United States
During the Gilded Age, Chicago’s Prairie Avenue was regarded as “Millionaire’s Row.” The wealthy flocked to the area after the Civil War because it was close to the Loop, and it did not require its residents to cross the Chicago River.
On this walking tour with guide and researcher Tony Szabelski, stroll through the neighborhood that once boasted Second Empire, Queen Anne, and Richardson Romanesque-style homes. Learn about its rise to prominence, decline in the mid twentieth century, and the preservation efforts that led to the Prairie Avenue District to be added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. Hear tales of the famous specters that supposedly still linger in the remaining structures, such as the William W. Kimball House and Marshall Field Jr. Mansion.
$25; 22.50 members
Tour runs approximately 1.5 to 2 hours, meets at Glessner House at 1800 S. Prairie Ave., and ends at The Second Presbyterian Church at 1936 S. Michigan Ave.
Tour also includes free admission to the Chicago History Museum, good for one week from tour date.
Masks are optional for our outdoor walking tours. Learn more about our COVID-19 safety policies and procedures.

Partner Event | Chamber Music Immersive: Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month
2025-10-29 18:00 - 20:30 | Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL, 60614, United States
Join us for an evening celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month featuring the music of iconic composers Astor Piazzolla and Carlos Gardel. Inspired by our newest exhibition, Aquí en Chicago, this exciting program features a performance by the Magellan Chamber Orchestra led by its founder, Grammy Award–nominated violinist Philippe Quint.

Astor Piazzolla – Estaciones Porteñas (The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires)
Astor Piazzolla – Libertango
Astor Piazzolla – Oblivion
Carlos Gardel – Por una cabeza

SCHEDULE
6:00 p.m. – Reception
6:30–7:30 p.m. – Concert
8:00 p.m. – Evening concludes
Save these dates for the next Chamber Music Immersive concerts at CHM:

November 18, 2025 – Charlie Chaplin’s Smile with Philippe Quint. Multimedia. Jun Cho, pianist.
​December 16, 2025 – Holiday Special Concert. Antonio Vivaldi—Four Seasons, Johann Sebastian Bach—Concerto for Two Violins in D Minor. Magellan Chamber Orchestra.

Visita guiada con uno de los conservadores de “Aquí en Chicago”
2025-10-30 11:00 - 11:45, 2025-11-05 11:00 - 11:45, 2025-11-13 14:00, 2025-11-18 11:00 - 11:45, 2025-11-18 14:00 - 14:45 | Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL, 60614, United States
Las comunidades latinas se han establecido en Chicago desde el siglo XIX. Sus descendientes han continuado con este legado, protegiendo las herencias y tradiciones culturales latinas. Hoy se mantienen firmes ante sistemas y políticas de opresión, y permanecen Aquí en Chicago.
Acompáñanos en recorridos guiados por los conservadoresde nuestra nueva exposición, Aquí en Chicago, como parte de tu visita al Chicago History Museum en las siguientes fechas. Habrá recorridos en inglés y en español.  Este recorrido será en español, pero hay recorridos en inglés disponibles en otras fechas.
Durante estos recorridos de 45 minutos, aprenderás más sobre las comunidades latinas de Chicago y sus historias en la ciudad, desde los primeros en llegar a fines del siglo XIX hasta el presente, todo a través de la perspectiva de los expertos que diseñaron esta innovadora exposición para el CHM!
La visita comienza en la entrada de Aquí en Chicago. Incluido en la entrada general. Se requiere confirmación de asistencia.

Partner Event | Chicago Home Movie Day
2025-11-01 11:00 - 15:00 | Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL, 60614, United States

Partner Event | Dave Truitt Historical Documentary Series: "Eastland: Chicago’s Deadliest Day"
2025-11-01 12:30 - 15:00 | Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL, 60614, United States
Join us for a free screening of Eastland: Chicago’s Deadliest Day and a panel discussion moderated by author Jay Bonansinga featuring:

Michael McCarthy, author of Ashes Under Water: The SS Eastland and the Shipwreck That Shook America
Dr. Caitlyn Perry Dial, SS Eastland Disaster expert, public historian, and director of development at Michigan State University Libraries
Chuck Coppola, executive producer, writer, and narrator of Eastland
Harvey Moshman, executive producer, writer, and editor of Eastland

On July 24, 1915, passengers packed aboard the SS Eastland never suspected that the Great Lakes excursion steamer had a dark past. But others knew, and the tragedy that would end 844 lives became Chicago’s shameful secret. Eastland combines storylines of greed, corruption, exploitation of immigrants, a cover-up, and hundreds of casualties in one of America’s worst maritime tragedies. In addition, it features rare newsreel footage, previously censored for Chicago audiences.
Free; RSVP required.
Schedule
12:30 p.m. – Theater doors open; snacks available
1:00 p.m. – Film screening begins
2:30 p.m. – Panel discussion begins
3:00 p.m. – Event concludes
Eastland: Chicago’s Deadliest Day and the Dave Truitt Historical Documentary Series are underwritten exclusively by CAPTAIN DAVE’S FOUNDATION
Questions? Contact Nell McKeown, development events manager, at mckeown@chicagohistory.org or (312) 799-2112
Parking is available in the parking lot at 1730 N. Stockton Dr. and may be validated for $10 at the Museum’s Ticket Desk.

“Stunningly effective and shockingly memorable . . . with real-life characters worthy of a big-budget feature film.”—Roeper/Chicago Sun-Times
“One of the most compelling and electrifying documentaries I’ve ever seen. A brilliant film . . . extraordinary and haunting.”—Kogan/Chicago Tribune
“Eastland has it all: heroes, villains, corruption, legal shenanigans, carnage, teenage adventurers, greed, humor, injustice, and even romance. This is history at its most vivid.”—Library Journal
Winner of two Emmy Awards, NY Festivals TV Film Awards, Indie Fest, Impact Docs, Telly Awards, Video Librarian—Best Documentaries of 2020

Curator-Led Gallery Tour of “Aquí en Chicago”
2025-11-04 14:00 - 14:45, 2025-11-05 14:00 - 14:45, 2025-11-11 11:00 - 11:45, 2025-11-12 14:30 - 15:15, 2025-11-18 11:00 - 11:45 | Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL, 60614, United States
Chicago has been home to Latino/a/e communities since the 1800s. Their descendants have actively carried on and protected Latino/a/e cultural heritages and traditions. Today they stand firm in the face of systems and policies of oppression and remain Here in Chicago—Aquí en Chicago.
Join us for a curator-led tour of our newest exhibition, Aquí en Chicago, as a part of your visit to the Chicago History Museum. Learn more about Chicago’s Latino/a/e communities and their histories in the city, starting with the earliest arrivals in the late 1800s, all through the lens of experts who curated this groundbreaking exhibition! This tour will be in English, but Spanish-language tours are available on other dates.
Meet at the entrance of Aquí en Chicago.
Included with general admission. RSVP required.

Members’ Annual Meeting
2025-11-05 17:30 - 20:00 | Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL, 60614, United States
At this year’s Members’ Annual Meeting, hear from key CHM staff and board members about the Museum’s recent accomplishments. In addition to our annual updates, we invite you to enjoy an exclusive reception to commemorate the opening of our newest exhibition, Aquí en Chicago! Members will receive special access to the gallery after hours and learn more about the exhibition from Dr. Elena Gonzales, Curator of Civic Engagement & Social Justice, and Jojo Galvan Mora, Digital Humanities Fellow.
This event is exclusive to CHM members.
Free; RSVP required

Partner Event | Jackson Oral History Project Pop-Up Exhibition Launch
2025-11-05 18:30 - 20:30 | Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church, 4543 S Princeton Ave, Chicago, IL, 60609

The Guild Presents | Sketching Emmett Till’s Legacy
2025-11-06 10:00 - 12:00 | Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL, 60614, United States
In 1955, the murder of Emmett Till, a Black teenager from Chicago, and the subsequent criminal trial in Tallahatchie County, Mississippi, attracted international attention and sparked the Civil Rights Movement. The Guild of the Chicago History Museum invites you to a talk featuring Margot McMahon, daughter of Franklin McMahon, the artist-reporter who sketched the trial of Till’s murderers for Life magazine, and Northwestern University professor Christopher Benson, an esteemed writer and scholar on Till who contributed to our exhibition Injustice: The Trial for the Murder of Emmett Till.
Injustice begins with photographs of a joyful Emmett in life and of his funeral attended by thousands. The trial proceedings are then shared through courtroom sketches by Franklin McMahon. These drawings give a visual account of a trial that amplified the inequities Black Americans face within the US court system, including a lack of equal protection under the law. Learn how Emmett’s mother, Mamie Till-Mobley, boldly stood in the face of racial injustice, and consider how Emmett’s legacy continues in those seeking justice for Black lives today.
$50; includes coffee and pastries.
Schedule
10:00 a.m. – Coffee and pastries served
10:30 a.m. – Speaker presentation begins
11:30 a.m. – Walkthrough of Injustice: The Trial for the Murder of Emmett Till exhibition
To purchase tickets over the phone, call Jessica Quintero at (312) 799-2111. For all other questions, contact Michael Anderson at manderson@chicagohistory.org or (312) 799-2142.

Partner Event | 2025 Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
2025-11-06 17:30 - 19:30 | Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL, 60614, United States

Costume Council Presents | Storyteller: Tales from a Fashion Insider with Jeffrey Banks
2025-11-10 16:30 - 19:00 | Mariposa at Neiman Marcus, 737 N. Michigan Ave., Level 4, Chicago, IL, 60611
The Costume Council of the Chicago History Museum invites you to a rare and intimate evening with internationally recognized designer Jeffrey Banks as he discusses his new book. Storyteller: Tales from a Fashion Insider weaves the incredible tapestry of Banks’s life—a fashion designer who rose from Ralph Lauren intern to award-winning menswear creator and an acclaimed champion of diversity and classic American style.
In Storyteller, Banks shares intimate stories about designing for celebrities and his close friendship with Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein, who became his mentors. His friendships with Audrey Hepburn, Bobby Short, and Barbra Streisand are also highlighted in the book. The book also explores Banks’s advocacy for diversity in fashion and his tireless support for young designers. Through personal anecdotes and industry insights, the two-time Coty Award and CFDA award winner reflects on fashion’s evolution from the 1970s through today.
Tickets start at $125; includes copy of book. Appetizers and drinks will be served.
To purchase tickets over the phone, call Jessica Quintero at (312) 799-2111. For all other questions, contact Michael Anderson at manderson@chicagohistory.org or (312) 799-2142.
Schedule
4:30 p.m. – Arrivals, wine, appetizers, meet and greet with Jeffrey
5:30 p.m. – Program begins
7:00 p.m. – Last goodbyes
