Chicago is known for house music. (Frankie Knuckles, we’re looking at you.) But did you know that Chicago is also home to fascinating house museums?
When my husband and I were about to relocate to Germany for two years for his work, we found ourselves in downtown Chicago with a few hours to kill before our visa appointment at the German Consulate. Having myself lived in Chicago and with us both being raised in the Chicago suburbs, we were at a loss for what to do in the area since we felt we’d seen it or done it all a million times before. We checked an online map and discovered that the Richard H. Driehaus Museum was barely a block away from the consulate.
Known as the “Marble Palace,” the Nickerson mansion is absolutely stunning. As a lover of art nouveau, I was especially enamored with the special exhibit on the top floor. The entire home is a work of art, from the stained glass dome to the marble columns to the woodworking on the walls. It is also quite dark; in order to preserve the artistry, the shades are drawn and the lamps are dimmed very low. It is an absolute must-visit if you’re in this section of the city.
A few other house museums in Chicago…
Glessner House in the Near South Side’s Prairie Avenue District is an 1887 National Historic Landmark filled with original artifacts.
Hull House Museum on the University of Illinois Chicago campus is the actual mansion where Jane Addams began the settlement-house movement.
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Hobie House on the University of Chicago campus.