Program areas at CHM
EDUCATION AND AUDIENCE - At the heart of the Chicago History Museum's mission to connect people to Chicago's history and each other, is our commitment to design and offer meaningful and relevant programs, resources, and experiences within and beyond the museum walls. We strive to empower and inspire learners of all ages and backgrounds to investigate Chicago's rich histories and nurture their curiosity and potential to be active history makers. Through rich and diverse educational experiences and programs, we hope to inspire lifelong learning and contribute to shaping an urban society that is inclusive, empathetic, and aware of its power to learn from and make history and influence positive change for future generations. In FY23, a set of key programming and learning guidelines was established to ensure departmental learning was in alignment with CHM's institutional mission, contemporary museum learning discourse, and the nuanced needs of the groups the department serves. These guidelines required programming to be learner-centered, culturally responsive, inquiry and civic-minded, and actively anti-racist; allowing audiences to see themselves in history and make meaningful connections to their lives and Chicago.
EXHIBITIONS CHM shares Chicago's stories, enabling visitors to explore historical themes and events and reflect on the city's diverse communities. CHM exhibits photos, videos, artifacts, and interactive displays that connect audiences to history. Exhibitions are designed, fabricated, and installed according to national industry best practices and with an eye for innovative methods of interpretation. In addition to maintaining long-term exhibitions such as the landmark Chicago: Crossroads of America, Facing Freedom, and Sensing Chicago, CHM offered multiple temporary exhibitions in 2023. They included Back Home: Polish Chicago; City on Fire: Chicago 1871; Haunted Dolls 2: The Riddles of the Wayward Spirit; and Remembering Dr. King; 1929-1968.
COLLECTIONS AND RESEARCH CHM houses a significant collection of artifacts, archives, and research materials, including over 23 million objects, over 30,000 linear feet of documents, and over five million images. Among these materials are numerous items pertaining to Abraham Lincoln, one of the largest clothing and textile collections in the country, the Chicago Daily News and Chicago Sun-Times newspaper photo morgues, color photography taken by Vivian Maier, and the complete library of Studs Terkel's WFMT interviews. CHM seeks to maximize the discoverability and use of its collections through exhibition, digitization, and research. CHM's Abakanowicz Research Center (ARC), a non-circulating library, facilitates in-person access to books, periodicals, and archival materials, including photographic materials. It served 4603 patrons in 2023, including hundreds of History Day students. CHM's website introduces hundreds of thousands of annual online visitors to its collection, including access to over 370,000 digital images and an online catalog. It also provides visitors with the ability to make research inquiries.