Delve into Chicago history from wherever you are! Our new exclusive lectures with Chicago History Museum curatorial staff can be enjoyed from the comfort of your home, your virtual office, or incorporated into your next virtual event. See our full list of offerings.

Chicago is a city of neighborhoods with each one featuring distinct buildings and residences. Now that more of our house history resources are available online, you can get a personalized walk-through of them with Ellen Keith, CHM director of Research and Access. Get more information.

Learn the backstory and see Chicago’s past and present from a historian’s perspective with guided or self-guided tours.

Highlights of Chicago

Discover the city’s vast history in Chicago: Crossroads of America. Whether you want to explore the grandeur of the world fairs of 1893 and 1933, or Chicago innovations that changed the world like skyscrapers and modern retail, or the diverse neighborhoods and lively cultural scene, this exhibition is a must see!

This is Chicago

City that Works, Second City, City of Big Shoulders–all are names the city has proudly earned. Meet the diverse people who have called Chicago home and imagined the city it is today.

Chicago’s World’s Fairs

From the White City of 1893 to the rainbow-colored oasis of 1933, experience the wonder of Chicago’s world’s fairs.

City on Fire: Chicago 1871

A rapidly growing city built of wood. A summer-long heat wave. An exhausted and misdirected team of firefighters. Racial, social, and economic tensions bubbling just below the surface. All Chicago needed was a spark. Learn more about our newest exhibition, which opens October 2021.

Duration: 50–60 minutes

Group size: Minimum 10, maximum 25 people

Cost: $21 for adults; $19 for seniors (65+) and college students

Learn all about Chicago history as you stroll through the galleries at your own pace.

Group size: Minimum 10, maximum 100 people

Duration: 2–4 hours. The group rate of $17 for adults and $15 for seniors/college students applies. 

How much do you know about Chicago? Test your knowledge with a scavenger hunt in the Museum. This tour is ideal for team-building or for a fun way to experience history.

Cost: $2 per person in addition to the self-guided tour fee.

Chicago is a city of neighborhoods. Lace up your shoes and explore them on foot! Tours run 1.5 to 2 hours. Contact [email protected] for pricing.

Masks required and social distancing of 6 feet must be observed. Minimum 10 participants.

Tours subject to availability. Please schedule 4 weeks in advance. The following tours are available in July 2021.

Historic Old Town

From postfire recovery to the hub of Chicago bohemianism in the 1960s and ’70s, Old Town reveals diverse stories about the city’s past. Highlights include a shelter cottage, St. Michael’s Church, the Midwest Buddhist Temple, and numerous historic residences.
Meet at the Chicago History Museum.

Glitterati on the Gold Coast

Whisk away to a time when Chicago’s rich and famous caroused on the coast. Gaze at ornate architecture by Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis Sullivan, step onto a rare wood-block alleyway, and take in Chicago’s early mansions, including the Archbishop’s Residence.
Meet at the Chicago History Museum.

Pilsen Murals

Walk through Pilsen with local guide Luis Tubens and get the larger meaning behind the artwork in Chicago’s capital of Mexican cultures. The tour weaves the history of Pilsen with vibrant large-scale murals and lived personal experiences.
Meet outside the National Museum of Mexican Art, 1852 West 19^th Street.

Bronzeville

Did you know that Bronzeville is home to many of Chicago’s treasured landmarks? This tour gets you up close to the culture, history, landmarks, and great stories in a great neighborhood. We’ll see the Walk of Fame, celebrate the music, learn about how the Black Belt became the Black Metropolis, and celebrate the cultural institutions that existed and endure.
Meet at the SE corner of 35^th Street and Martin Luther King Drive.