Exhibitions
Benjamin B. Green-Field Gallery and The Mazza Foundation Gallery
Abraham Lincoln Transformed
October 10, 2009 through April 12, 2010
He is often revered as the president who freed the slaves, but how did Abraham Lincoln arrive at his highly controversial decision, and what was the real impact? This exhibition examines the fundamental change in Lincoln’s views about slavery and the Union that changed America. At one time a moderate on the question of slavery—while he despised it, he wasn’t an abolitionist—Lincoln changed his mind during the Civil War, resulting in the Emancipation Proclamation that declared free more than three million African American slaves. This exhibition reveals the intensity and the gravity of the forces that transformed Lincoln’s views and forever changed America.
> Learn more about Abraham Lincoln Transformed
Bessie Green-Field Warshawsky Gallery
Benito Juárez and the Making of Modern Mexico
October 10, 2009 through April 12, 2010
As America faced its darkest days during the Civil War, Mexico, too, waged war that led to the creation of its modern state. In conjunction with Abraham Lincoln Transformed, the Museum presents Benito Juárez and the Making of Modern Mexico. Both Lincoln and Juárez faced urgent situations that would forever shape the future of their countries. This show provides an introduction to Mexico’s most revered leader with many national treasures on display for the first time in Chicago.
> Learn more about Benito Juárez and the Making of Modern Mexico
Current Exhibitions
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Costume and Textile Gallery
Bertha Honoré Palmer
May 23, 2009 through January 4, 2010
Bertha Palmer reigned as the queen of Chicago society, but her influence was known around the world. For the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893, she enlisted the support of foreign queens to erect a Woman’s Building. As a civic booster, she bought modern art directly from artists and donated it to the Art Institute of Chicago. She was a champion of her fledgling city and the epitome of a grande dame. On the anniversary of Palmer’s 160th birthday, the Museum presents a selection of her personal effects to honor one of the most significant figures in late 19th-century Chicago.
Treasures
Treasures
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KPMG and Paul and Katherine Snyder Community Gallery
Lincoln Park Block by Block
July 4, 2009 through May 16, 2010
Lincoln Park is a dynamic neighborhood and home of the Chicago History Museum. For 150 years, Lincoln Park residents and visitors have experienced some of the city’s most historic events—from the opening of the Chicago’s first public beach in 1895 to the riots of the late 1960s. Set on an oversized map, the exhibition invites you to discover the history, culture, and making of Lincoln Park. Share your memories with other visitors, and explore Lincoln Park—a place that constantly remakes itself with a nod to the past and an eye toward the future.
Treasures
Upcoming Exhibitions
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Skyline Gallery
My Chinatown
Opens December 5, 2010
Chicago’s Chinatown is unmistakable, but what’s behind the ornate building facades and signs covered in Chinese characters? Who are the people who make our Chinatown such a distinct and vibrant neighborhood? This winter, the Chicago History Museum presents its first ever theater experience using the sights, smells, and voices of Chicago’s most recognizable neighborhood to tell its most unfamiliar stories.
Treasures
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I Do! Chicago Ties the Knot
Opens May 22, 2010
This exhibition will explore an array of wedding costume traditions, from the ring to the veil to the gown, with nearly 45 ensembles worn by various members of wedding parties dating back to the city’s founding.
Treasures
Permanent Exhibitions
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Chicago: Crossroads of America
Discover the city's vast history in Chicago: Crossroads of America. Whether you are interested in Chicago's changing economy, challenging crises, diverse neighborhoods, groundbreaking innovations, or lively cultural scene, this exhibition is a must see!
> Learn more about Crossroads and preview highlights
Crossroads
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Konen Family Children's Gallery
Sensing Chicago
Use your five senses to explore Chicago, uncover the past, and discover that history is all around you. The Konen Family Children's Gallery invites families to ride a high-wheel bicycle, hear the Great Chicago Fire, catch a fly ball at Comiskey Park, smell the city's past, and be a Chicago-style hot dog.
Children's Gallery
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Tawani Foundation Diorama Hall
The Dioramas
Our much-loved dioramas have been restored and are better than ever! Visit the Tawani Foundation Diorama Hall to learn the story of Chicago's rise from a desolate frontier outpost in 1804 to the bustling city that hosted the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893. Engaging details invite you to look closely and put history into a larger context.