History Lessons at the Chicago History Museum

I majored in History in college, and I am therefore a self proclaimed nerd. I own it completely and fully admit museums are some of my favorite places to spend my time. The beauty of a day at a museum is that you can never walk out without having learned something new. Such was the case when I visited the Chicago History Museum to learn more about the city I now live in and love.

The Chicago History Museum features permanent as well as changing exhibits. In the Lincoln's Chicago, you can learn about the city during Lincoln's life and time as president. Walk through the gorgeous gallery featuring portraits of Chicagoans that paint a picture of the Chicago Lincoln knew and often frequented.

Another permanent exhibit is the Chicago: Crossroads of America which educates on the long history of the city starting from its beginnings. This exhibit is one of the best in the museum and tells the story of Chicago's economy, overcoming challenging crises, its unique culture, and innovations. A couple cool features are the old L train you can walk into, an old Play Boy bunny costume (Hugh Hefner is from Chicago), sports memorabilia from the city's teams, and inventions that were created in Chicago. On one side of this exhibit you can find Vivian Maier's Chicago, which showcases amazing photographs of everyday life in the city.

The Chicago Styled: Fashioning the Magnificent Mile exhibit is open until the summer and tells the story of the growth of the famous shopping street through incredible dresses and ensembles donated to the museum.

Another fun exhibit is Sensing Chicago, which encourages visitors to use their five senses to explore the city. Ride on an old fashioned high-whell bicycle, put together a Chicago style hotdog, and explore the the sounds of the city in an interactive way.

One of the newest exhibits is the Secret Life of Objects. This exhibit features objects pulled from the museum's storage rooms, each with a unique story to tell that together make up a history that is less known. I found it an exciting and interesting way to learn history, and some of the objects were incredibly cool to see up close.

Across the hall from The Secret Life of Objects is Railroaders: Jack Delano's Homefront Photography. Check out this exhibit if you are interested in learning more about the importance of the railroads during World War II through pictures.

The Chicago History Museum is a fun way to spend a rainy day, and its location next to Lincoln Park and the Zoo make it an excellent stop for anyone visiting the city as well as locals! See below for a deal on half off admission!