The Chicago History Museum is the city’s history museum, at 1601 N. Clark St. on the southern edge of Lincoln Park, at Clark Street and North Avenue. It covers Chicago’s past through permanent galleries, rotating exhibitions and a research center.
What it’s known for
The museum was founded in 1856 as the Chicago Historical Society and took its current name in 2006. Its first building, at Dearborn and Ontario, burned in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 along with most of the collection. The Georgian-style building in Lincoln Park, designed by Graham, Anderson, Probst & White, opened in 1932, with later additions in 1972 and 1988. In 1920 the society acquired the Charles F. Gunther collection, which includes the bed in which Abraham Lincoln died.
Long-running galleries include Chicago: Crossroads of America, Imagining Chicago: The Dioramas, Lincoln’s Chicago and Sensing Chicago. Temporary shows in fall 2026 include Aquí en Chicago (through Nov. 8, 2026) and Threads of a Nation: Preserving Presidential Clothing (opening Oct. 24, 2026).
Good to know
- Hours: Tuesday to Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Sunday noon to 5 p.m., closed most Mondays, per the official site, October 2026. Closed New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
- Admission: Adults $19 for Chicago residents and $24 for non-residents; Illinois residents 18 and under are free; members are free.
- Free days: Illinois resident free days listed for late 2026 include Nov. 11 and Nov. 19.
- CTA: Buses 22, 36, 72, 73, 151 and 156 stop nearby; the Sedgwick Brown Line and Clark/Division Red Line stations are about half a mile away.
- Parking tip: The public lot at 1730 N. Stockton Dr., a block north, is $10 with museum validation.
Pair a visit with the Lincoln Park history guide, or browse the museums and attractions directory.
Sources: chicagohistory.org/visit, chicagohistory.org/exhibitions, chicagohistory.org/about-us/museum-history