Chicago History Museum – tickets, prices, what to see, FAQs

In order to research and analyze Chicago’s past, the Chicago History Museum (formerly the Chicago Historical Society) was established in 1856.

Learn about the history of Chicago and the US via exhibitions based on the more than 20 million artifacts in the Chicago History Museum’s collection.

This article shares everything you need to know before buying tickets for Chicago History Museum.

What to expect at Chicago History Museum 

With displays derived from the more than 20 million items in the holdings of the Chicago History Museum, explore the history of Chicago and the United States.

Discover a collection of historical relics, such as a piece of the original Fort Dearborn and the first Chicago locomotive.

In the “Sensing Chicago” exhibition, use all five senses to learn about Chicago’s history. You may even pretend to be a Chicago-style hot dog.

Explore the numerous picture collections, papers, artifacts, and interviews that are used in temporary exhibitions to tell the tales of Chicago.

Experience the intensity of the Great Chicago Fire and the majesty of the World’s Columbian Exposition in the exciting cinematic presentation “The Great Chicago Adventure.”

Where to buy Chicago History Museum  tickets

There are two modes of buying tickets for the Museum of History, Chicago– online or offline at the attraction.

If you land at the venue to buy tickets, you must line up at the counter. During peak times, these lines can get long, and you will end up wasting your time. 

Online tickets for the Chicago History Museum are cheaper than those sold at the venue. 

When you book online and in advance, you also get your preferred time of visit. 

Online tickets also help you avoid last-minute disappointment when tickets get sold out.

How online ticket works

On the booking page, select your preferred date, time slot, and number of tickets, and buy the tickets right away.

After the purchase, you will receive the tickets in your email. 

You don’t need to take any printouts. 

On the day of your visit, all you have to do is show your voucher at the ticket desk inside the entrance lobby of the Museum.

Cost of Museum of Illusions Barcelona tickets

History Museum of Chicago tickets cost US $19 for all visitors aged 13 years and above.
Seniors aged 65 years and above get a discount of US $2 and will get the ticket at a discounted price of US $17.
Students aged 13 to 22 years will also get the ticket at a discounted price of US $17 but with a valid ID.
Children up to the age of 12 years can enter the museum for free.

Chicago History Museum tickets

With this ticket, you’ll have access to the Chicago History Museum.

Check out the 1893 L train system in Chicago’s first passenger car and look at the elegant clothing in the Marshall Fields window display.

For the ideal photo, climb into the enormous hot dog bed in the Chicago manner.

The Jaffee History Trail connects history with the outdoors and the natural world.

Ticket Price 

Adult Ticket (13 to 64 years): US $19
Senior Ticket (65+ years): US $17
Student Ticket (13 to 22 years): US $17
Child Ticket (up to 12 years): Free Entry

Save time & money! Buy Chicago City Pass, and visit Shedd Aquarium, Skydeck Chicago, Museum of Science and Industry, and many more famous attractions, and go on a Shoreline Sightseeing Architecture River Tour. 

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How to reach Chicago History Museum

The Chicago History Museum is located in Lincoln Park in a building at 1601 North Clark Street at the intersection of North Avenue in the Old Town Triangle neighborhood.

Address: 1601 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60614, United States. Get Directions 

The most convenient way to reach Chicago History Museum is by bus and car.

By Bus

LaSalle & North Ave is the nearest bus stop to the Museum of History, Chicago, only a three minutes walk away.

By Car 

If you are traveling by car, turn on your google maps and get started.

Chicago History Museum Parking (SP+ Parking) is the nearest car parking to Chicago History Museum, only five minutes walk away.

Chicago History Museum timings

The Chicago History Museum is open every day of the week except on Mondays.

From Tuesday to Saturday, the museum operates from 9.30 am to 4.30 pm.

On Sundays, the museum operates from 12 pm to 5 pm.

The museum is closed every Monday.

How long does Chicago History Museum take

Visitors to Chicago History Museum usually spend one to three hours.

If you are in a hurry, you can explore the museum in 60 to 90 minutes.

However, if you spend time taking pictures and reading information panels, you can expect to stay extended for up to three hours.

Best time to visit Chicago History Museum

The best time to visit the Museum of History, Chicago is as soon as it opens at 9.30 am.

If you visit the museum early, you can avoid crowds. 

When it is less crowded, you can explore the museum peacefully, as you don’t have to wait for your turn to see the exhibits.

What to see at Chicago History Museum

Here are things that you must check out when at Chicago History Museum.

Architectural drawings and records

The Museum is home to a sizable collection of urban Chicago’s architectural blueprints, records, models, and building remnants, ranging from skyscrapers to bungalows.

The collection includes architectural drawings from the 1870s to the present.

The majority of the drawings in the collection are working drawings on drafting linen or tracing paper, but there are also design sketches and rendered presentation drawings.

Archives and manuscripts

The Chicago History Museum’s archival and manuscript collections document significant aspects of city, suburb, region, and state life from 1683 to the present.

Materials pertaining to American history are among the more than 20,000 linear feet of holdings in the Archives and Manuscripts collection.

This book covers the Civil War, the effort to end slavery, and the founding of the nation as it recounts the history of the country from the 1770s to the 1870s.

The Archives and Manuscripts resources contain unpublished things like mail, diaries, meeting minutes and agendas, research notes, scripts, sermons, speeches, and more.

Costume and textiles

Costume and textiles collection of the Museum is recognized for both the scope and quality of its holdings.

There are more than 50,000 outfits and textiles in it, spanning the eighteenth and twentieth centuries.

Distinguished designers like Charles Frederick Worth, Gabrielle Chanel, Mainbocher, Charles James, and Christian Dior have contributed to the materials for costumes.

Paintings and sculptures

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Some 500 sculptures and about 3,400 paintings and works on paper make up the museum’s collection of paintings and sculptures.

Researchers frequently ask to utilize the paintings and sculpture materials, which include some of the Museum’s early acquisitions.

Many publications, exhibitions, and loans to other institutions make use of these materials.

Portraits of national political and military figures make up the majority of the museum’s collection of paintings and work on paper.

These images feature well-known Chicagoans from the middle of the 19th century to the middle of the 20th century as well as portraits from the late 18th to early 20th centuries.

Frequently Asked Questions about Chicago History Museum

Here are some questions visitors usually ask about Chicago History Museum.

How long do people spend at Chicago History Museum?

It takes about one to three hours to explore the Museum of History in Chicago.

Does the Chicago History Museum have free days?

The Chicago History Museum offers free admission on select holidays and dates throughout the year. Also, the museum provides free days all year long to Illinois citizens, including holidays like Presidents’ Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and the Fourth of July.

What is the mission of the Chicago History Museum?

The Chicago History Museum aims to help people make meaningful and personal connections to history.

Do teachers get into Chicago museums for free?

Teachers from throughout Illinois (pre-K through 12th grade) receive free basic admission. 

What is the history museum in Chicago called?

Chicago History Museum is the museum of the Chicago Historical Society (CHS).

How old is the Chicago History Museum?

The Chicago History Museum was established in 1856.