In 2021, the Chicago History Museum will be renovating the underground storage facility as well as the plaza and landscaping to establish the Richard M. and Shirley H. Jaffee History Trail. The storage facility houses the Museum’s 23,000 linear feet of archives and manuscripts. Renovations will upgrade the structural integrity of the space and modernize the interior.

The Research Center will remain open, and published material (books, pamphlets, ephemera collections) and prints and photographs will still be available. Archives and manuscripts, with the exception of some small collections, will not be available to researchers from December 24, 2020, through January 1, 2022 (estimated time frame). The Museum will not be able to supply photocopies, scans, or reproductions of this material during this period. We’re providing advance notice as we understand the inconvenience this will pose and will provide updates as the project progresses. Questions? Email [email protected]

We are pleased to welcome authors; university and college teachers; independent scholars; photo researchers; members of the press; elementary and secondary school students; undergraduate and graduate students, including PhD candidates; architects; building developers; and family and house historians, among many others. Children under 6 will not be admitted.

The majority of our collections are housed outside of the Research Center. Call slips are available on each table and should be filled out as completely as possible so that staff can retrieve the material. Material will not be paged after 2:30 p.m.

Some material, including color photographs, must be requested at least 48 hours in advance; a note in the catalog record will alert you to this type of restriction. Most of our material is fragile, so please respect the following policies: Pencils only. No food, drink, or gum.

Photocopying Fees
$.50/page
$.25/page for History Fair students
Please note: Photocopies will not be made of city directories, newspapers, scrapbooks, maps, color photographs, and original photographs created prior to 1900. Depending on demand, photocopies may not be available for same-day pick up.

Camera Use Policy
Researchers may photograph most Research Center material. If you wish to use your camera, please notify a Research Center staff member upon arrival and plan to review and sign our Camera Use Policy before taking photographs.