Curator-Led Gallery Tour of “Aquí en Chicago“: Women’s History Month Edition
2026-03-07 14:00 - 14:45 (America/Chicago) | 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 Elena Gonzales, curator of civic engagement & social justice, for our women’s history tour of Aquí en Chicago to learn more about the remarkable Latinas in the exhibition and some of the many forms of Latina identity. And remember, women’s history is for everyone!
Meet at the entrance of Aquí en Chicago.
Included with general admission; RSVP required.

The Guild Presents | Women of "Aquí en Chicago"
2026-03-10 17:00 - 19:00 | Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL, 60614, United States
Presented in partnership with the International Women’s Forum, the Guild of the Chicago History Museum invites you to an exclusive behind-the-scenes evening in celebration of Women’s History Month.
Did you know that nearly one-third of Chicago’s residents are Latino/a/e? Come explore the rich history and impact of this vibrant community through the Chicago History Museum’s newest exhibition, Aquí en Chicago.
After a self-guided walk through the gallery, join us for a presentation with CHM curator of civic engagement and social justice Elena Gonzales sharing stories of the remarkable women featured in Aquí en Chicago. The evening concludes with a reception.
$50 per ticket.
Schedule
4:00 p.m. – Aquí en Chicago open for self-guided exploration
5:00 p.m. – Doors open – Drinks Served
5:30 p.m. – Presentation begins
6:15 p.m. – Reception begins – Drinks & Heavy Hors d’oeuvres
7:00 p.m. – Evening concludes
Underwriting opportunities are available. Contact Darcy Evon, Guild 4th Vice President Development, at darcyevon@gmail.com for more information.
Thank You to Our Underwriters
Darcy Evon
Catherine Grahn
As of January 15, 2026

The Costume Council Presents | A Fascinating Evening with Kokin: Milliner to the Stars and Legends in their Own Minds
2026-03-19 18:00 - 21:00 | The Fortnightly of Chicago, 120 E. Bellevue Place, Chicago, IL, 60611
The Costume Council of the Chicago History Museum invites you to join them for a stylish and story-filled evening celebrating internationally acclaimed hat designer Kokin, whose designs have crowned some of the most iconic moments in Clueless, Pretty Woman , Sex and the City, Dr. T & the Women, and more.
Guests will enjoy a curated hat fashion show, followed by an intimate Q&A with Kokin—and the opportunity to purchase his designs during the event. 10% of all proceeds will benefit The Costume Council of the Chicago History Museum.
Expect an evening that’s equal parts fascinating, captivating, and impeccably crowned.
$125; $100 Costume Council members. Costume Council members are limited to 5 tickets.

Artist Talk | Vida Sačić
2026-03-19 19:00 - 20:30 | Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL, 60614, United States
Join us for a talk by Chicago-based artist Vida Sačić on her work as a visual artist, educator, and the ways she grounds her work in lived experience.
Hear about her installation, Self-Evident: A Letterpress Exploration of the Declaration of Independence, currently on view at the Museum, which features immigrant responses to language drawn from the Declaration of Independence. She will discuss the project’s conceptual framework and material processes, exploring how letterpress printing, historical typography, and contemporary voices intersect in the work. The talk will also reflect on themes of immigration, authorship, collective narrative, and print as both a historical and living medium.
Prior to her talk, be sure to view Self-Evident in our main lobby. This work is the first of four installations in 2026 celebrating US at 250: Civic Action in Chicago featuring works by Chicago artists that respond to four founding documents of the United States: the Declaration of Independence, US Constitution, Northwest Ordinance, and the Thirteenth Amendment.
Free and open to the public. RSVP requested.

Commemorative Day | Women’s History Month
2026-03-28 11:00 - 15:00 | Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL, 60614, United States
As we commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence this year, we at the Chicago History Museum are centering civic action and what it takes to build and maintain democracy all year long. There are many ways we all fight for a better world, including using the arts to make statements and fight for change.
March is Women’s History Month. This year at CHM, we’re taking this time to think more critically about the history of women making change through the arts. Join us for a day of hands-on arts-making celebrating women in history and in our own lives. Then join us in the afternoon for a dual performance of two fabulous Chicago singers, Amy Lowe and Shawn Christopher, as they sing us all into action!
Included with general admission.
Schedule
11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Button Making for Social Change
Create your own buttons to honor Women’s History Month and wear them proudly inside and outside the museum. Draw images of important people and moments in women’s history or show your support for a cause that matters to you today! Great for all ages!
Designing for Protest: Make Your Own Protest Sign
Chicago has a long history of protest and civic action. Figures like Ida B. Wells, Jane Addams, Lucy Parsons, and Pearl Hart all engaged in civic action both in public and behind the scenes.
Show your support for the history of women’s activism by making your own protest sign. See some examples of feminist artivism (activism + art) in our exhibition Designing for Change: Chicago Protest Art of the 1960s–70s and then come design your own protest art to let others know what matters to you!
12:00–1:00 p.m.
Hands-On Relief Printing Workshop with Vida Sačić
Design your own simple typographic compositions using foam and cardboard backing, then experiment with hand-printing techniques to produce your own prints. Learn about foundational ideas in typography and relief printmaking in an accessible and tactile way to create and print your own message.
This workshop is led by artist Vida Sačić, whose current work is featured in the US at 250: Civic Action in Chicago art installation in our main lobby.
This workshop is designed with youth and adults alike in mind. Participants of all ages are encouraged to join.
1:00–3:00 p.m.
Music Making Change: Amy Lowe and Shawn Christopher
Celebrate women making change through the arts with back-to-back performances by two amazing musical performers, Amy Lowe and Shawn Christopher. A fun time for people of all ages!

Educator Workshop | Lifting Student Voices in the Classroom and Beyond
2026-04-11 09:30 - 12:30 | Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL, 60614, United States
In 2019, educator Anton Miglietta brought his students from Instituto Justice and Leadership Academy in Pilsen to CHM on a field trip. What they experienced was a harmful lack of Latino/a/e representation in the Museum’s exhibitions. The students decided to demand accountability and change.
In this workshop, Miglietta describes how his students’ protest led to our exhibition Aquí en Chicago and the profound impact it had on his teaching. Miglietta champions lifting student voice and choice in curriculum and will share practical resources and strategies to use in your own classroom.
Free; advance reservations required. Recommended for teachers of grades 6–12. 3 PD hours.

Member Event | Author Talk - "Clout City" with Dominic Pacyga
2026-04-15 14:00 - 15:00 | Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL, 60614, United States
CHM members are invited to an exclusive talk with historian Dominic Pacyga on his newest book, Clout City: The Rise and Fall of the Chicago Political Machine. A Q&A will follow the discussion.
Free; RSVP required.

Partner Event | Chicago Interfaith Trolley Tour
2026-04-26 13:00 - 17:30 | IL

Music at CHM | Chicago’s Women in Jazz: The Sound of the City
2026-04-26 14:00 - 15:30 | Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL, 60614, United States

Walking Tour | Hyde Park Murals
2026-05-10 11:00 - 13:00, 2026-06-14 11:00 - 13:00 | Pepperland Apartment building, 1509–1517 E. 57th Street, Chicago, IL, 60615
As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, we’re also taking time to consider the ways people in the United States practice democracy through civic action, including by making public art, establishing community, and cultural expression.
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.

Music at CHM | Made in America: Celebrating America’s 250th Anniversary
2026-05-13 17:30 - 21:00 | Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL, 60614, United States

Walking Tour | Paseo Boricua and Humboldt Park
2026-05-16 10:00 - 11:30, 2026-06-06 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! As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, we’re also taking time to consider the ways people in the United States practice democracy through civic action, including by making art, establishing community, and cultural expression.
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.

Walking Tour | Pilsen Murals
2026-05-16 10:30 - 12:30, 2026-06-20 10:30 - 12:30 | National Museum of Mexican Art, 1852 W. 19th St., Chicago, IL, 60608
As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, we’re also taking time to consider the ways people in the United States practice democracy through civic action, including by making public art.
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.

The Guild Presents | Why Jane Addams Matters Today
2026-05-19 11:30 - 14:00 | Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL, 60614, United States
Following their annual meeting, the Guild of the Chicago History Museum invites you to a special discussion on the life and legacy of Jane Addams. Hear from Liesl Olson, Director of the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum and Professor of Art History and Museum Studies at the University of Illinois Chicago, about the work Addams and her friends did for social reform in Chicago.
In 1889, Addams, along with Ellen Gates Star and Mary Keyser, embarked upon the “scheme” (in Starr’s words). They moved into the Hull residence to live and work with immigrant communities on the Near West Side of Chicago. But they had little idea of what their scheme would become. Over decades, Addams and her circle of social reformers championed immigrant rights, worked to end child labor, instituted juvenile justice, supported unions, built playgrounds, and advocated for public housing.
Over the past three years, the Hull-House Museum has embarked on an exciting transformation. Olson will share how it continues to honor Addams’s work and inspire activism today.
$75 individual ticket; $40 guest add-on (requires one individual admission). For questions, seating preferences and dietary restrictions, contact Kimberly Bill, Development Events Manager, at kbill@chicagohistory.org.
Guild members: Please arrive at 10:30 a.m. for the annual meeting, which starts promptly at 11:00 a.m. The annual meeting is reserved for Guild members.
Guests and friends: You’re warmly welcome to arrive at 11:30 a.m. for the presentation and lunch.
Schedule
11:30 a.m. – Program: presentation (30–40 minutes) followed by Q&A (15 minutes)
12:30 p.m. – Seated lunch
2:00 p.m. – Event concludes

The Costume Council Presents | Legends of Chicago Drag
2026-05-21 18:00 - 21:00 | Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL, 60614, United States
The Costume Council of the Chicago History Museum invites you to step into the spotlight and celebrate the dazzling artistry, creativity, and cultural impact of drag in Chicago!
Join us for live drag queen performances, including a special tribute to iconic female impersonator Chilli Pepper, and a lively panel discussion emceed by Chicago nightlife entrepreneur Mark Liberson featuring:

Mimi Marks, Miss Continental 1992
Jim Flint, founder of The Baton Show Lounge and Miss Continental
Mz Ruff N Stuff, Chicago’s Beauty Queen
Owen Keehnen, historian

Enjoy cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, as well as music provided by Mister Wallace.
$125 general admission; $100 Costume Council members. Limit 5 tickets per Costume Council member.
Co-Chairs
David Jude Greene, Aaron Shirley, Joseph Niz
Host Committee
Brannon Ayers, Chip Hendon, Lizzy Lopez, Frank Rubel
This event is made possible by generous cornerstone sponsorships.
Thank You to Our Sponsors!
Brannon Ayers Pamella Capitanini
David Mordini
Frank Rubel
For financial and in-kind sponsorship opportunities, please contact Kimberly Bill, Development Events Manager, kbill@chicagohistory.org

Walking Tour | Union Park and Beyond in the West Loop
2026-05-30 16:00 - 17:30 | Carter Harrison Statue, One block south of Union Park (1501 W. Randolph Street), Chicago, IL, 60606, United States
Did you know that the West Loop is home to the Haymarket Affair, a rally for workers’ rights that quickly became bloody and dangerous? Or that it’s considered the birthplace of House Music?
Join storyteller and guide Connie Fairbanks, author of Chicago’s West Loop Now and Then: People, Businesses, Buildings, as she explores the rich history of the Near West Side/West Loop from the 19th century to the present. You’ll learn about Carter Harrison, the five-time mayor of Chicago, see a church that served as City Hall after the 1871 Great Chicago Fire, and explore spaces central to Chicago’s long and robust labor history. You can even stop by where some of the finest harps in the world are made mostly by hand!
$25, $22.50 members
Tour runs 60–90 minutes and includes one mile of walking along sidewalks. This tour begins at the Carter Harrison Statue one block south of Union Park (1501 W. Randolph Street, Chicago, IL 60606) on Washington Street between Ashland and Ogden Avenue and north of Warren Boulevard. The tour ends at Epiphany Center for the Arts (201 S. Ashland Ave., Chicago, IL 60607)
Tour also includes free admission to the Chicago History Museum, good for one week from tour date.
Masks are optional for our walking tours. Learn more about our COVID-19 safety policies and procedures.

Walking Tour | Lincoln Park's Lost History
2026-05-31 12:00 - 13:30 | Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL, 60614, United States
From 1843 until the late mid-1860s, what is now Lincoln Park and the Lincoln Park Zoo was the Chicago City Cemetery. After the park was named for Abraham Lincoln after his assassination, graves were moved to more distant cemeteries, but evidence of the cemetery’s past remains. On this walking tour guide and researcher Tony Szabelski, explore the park’s history from the Couch Tomb to the tragic deaths along the High Bridge and the site of the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre.
Content warning: Discussion of death by suicide in association with the High Bridge.
$25; $22.50 members
Tour runs about 90 minutes, begins at the Chicago History Museum, and ends at 2122 N. Clark St.
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.

32nd Annual Making History Awards
2026-06-03 18:00 | The Four Seasons Hotel, 120 E. Delaware Pl., Chicago, IL, 60611, United States

Member Event | Author Talk - "Fire and Clay" with Will Quam
2026-06-11 19:00 - 20:00 | Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL, 60614, United States
Take a closer look at the bricks around you—what histories are hiding in plain sight, waiting to be uncovered?
CHM members are invited to join Brick of Chicago’s Will Quam as he discusses his forthcoming book, Fire and Clay: How Bricks Reveal the Hidden History of Chicago. Rebekah Coffman, Curator of Religion and Community History at the Chicago History Museum, will moderate the conversation. Light refreshments will be served, and the event concludes with a Q&A.
Free for members; RSVP required.

Partner Event | Dave Truitt Film Series - “Holding Pattern”
2026-06-13 12:30 - 15:00 | Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL, 60614, United States
In the late 1960s, a massive third Chicagoland airport was proposed on land occupied by cornfields and farmhouses in Chicago’s rural south exurbs. Despite millions of dollars and more than 30 years of planning, this airport has yet to materialize. The proposal itself has created deep divisions in the region. One side perceives the airport as an anchor to its much needed economic salvation. The other views it as an engine of urban sprawl and the destruction to their way of life.
Join us for the world premiere of the documentary film, Holding Pattern, which explores this divisive issue through the stories of four believers—two airport supporters and two of its strongest opponents.
Free; RSVP required.
The screening of the documentary Holding Pattern is underwritten by the DAVE TRUITT Historical Documentary Series.
Questions? Contact Eric Miller, development coordinator, at miller@chicagohistory.org or (312) 799-2110.

Author Talk | Chris Serb - "Eckie: Walter Eckersall and the Rise of Chicago Sports"
2026-08-06 18:30 - 20:00 | Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL, 60614, United States
Join us for an evening with Chicago author Chris Serb as he discusses his recent book Eckie: Walter Eckersall and the Rise of Chicago Sports (2025). Eckersall was an on-field football superstar whose athletics, sports journalism, and advocacy for Black athletes, long before Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier, all set the stage for impacting the relationship between sport and society that we see today.
$25; $20 members.
This program is part of CHM’s US at 250: Civic Action in Chicago efforts. Serb’s talk will include discussions of the ways Eckersall and sports generally can serve as vehicles for social change.
