Chicago Historical Society

HYBRID HISTORY AT CHM [WE REQUEST $498,993 IN NEH ARP FUNDS TO BUILD OUR CAPACITY TO OPERATE AS AN INCLUSIVE, HYBRID MUSEUM DURING A TRANSITIONAL YEAR WHEN OUR RENEWED ONSITE PRESENCE AND VIRTUAL RESOURCES ARE BOTH MISSION CRITICAL. THIS SUPPORT WILL HELP US CREATE AN INTENTIONAL BLENDED SERVICE MODEL THAT WE PLAN TO SUSTAIN AFTER THE CONCLUSION OF THE GRANT PERIOD. TO DO THIS, WE WILL INVEST IN PERSONNEL AND DIGITAL TOOLS THAT WILL HAVE A LASTING IMPACT. GOALS INCLUDE: 1. DEVELOP A SUSTAINABLE FRAMEWORK FOR CONNECTING WITH AUDIENCES IN TWO CONTEXTS, REPLENISHING OUR ONSITE VISITORSHIP AND ENHANCING OUR ONLINE PRESENCE. 2. IMPROVE OUR CAPACITY TO DELIVER HUMANITIES RESOURCES VIA DIGITAL CHANNELS THAT PROMOTE ACCESSIBILITY, ARE MORE INTERACTIVE, AND ALLOW FOR INCREASED CONTENT. 3. CREATE A MORE INCLUSIVE FUTURE AT CHM WITH PUBLIC PROGRAMS, EDUCATIONAL TOOLS, AND DIGITAL PRODUCTS THAT CENTER UNDERREPRESENTED STORIES AND VOICES IN CHICAGO HISTORY.] [PURPOSE: SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF TOOLS AND PROGRAMS TO ENABLE THE CHICAGO HISTORY MUSEUM TO CONNECT WITH AUDIENCES ONLINE AND AT THE MUSEUM.  ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: IMPLEMENT NEW IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL PUBLIC PROGRAMS, DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT INTERPRETIVE CONTENT AND DIGITAL RESOURCES AS PART OF AN ONLINE ARCHIVE, AND CREATE SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS TO PUBLICIZE THE PROGRAMS AND ARCHIVES.  EXPECTED OUTCOMES: PRODUCE A SERIES OF GALLERY TOURS, HISTORICAL CITY TOURS, PUBLIC DISCUSSIONS, EMAILS, SOCIAL MEDIA ESSAYS, AND AN ENHANCED WEBSITE INCLUDING ARCHIVAL MATERIALS. ON-SITE AND VIRTUAL ENGAGEMENTS WILL HAVE AN INTENTIONAL FOCUS ON UNDERREPRESENTED HISTORY AND CRITICAL EXPLORATION OF THE WAY ICONIC HISTORY IS WRITTEN AND PRESENTED.  INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: ONLINE AND IN-PERSON VISITORS TO THE CHICAGO HISTORY MUSEUM AND PARTICIPANTS IN THE MUSEUM'S OFF-SITE PROGRAMS.  SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES: THE RECIPIENT DOES NOT INTEND TO SUBAWARD FUNDS.]

THE CHICAGO HISTORICAL SOCIETY WILL UNDERTAKE CONSERVATION TREATMENT ON ITS PRESIDENTIAL COSTUME COLLECTION, WHICH HOLDS APPROXIMATELY 50,000 OBJECTS DATING FROM THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY TO THE PRESENT.  A CONSERVATOR WILL WORK WITH A HIRED COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT TO CONSERVE COSTUMES AND GARMENTS WORN BY PRESIDENTS GEORGE WASHINGTON, JOHN ADAMS, AND ABRAHAM LINCOLN. PROJECT STAFF WILL DIGITALLY DOCUMENT THE GARMENTS AND CREATE REPRODUCTIONS FOR RESEARCH PURPOSES. AS A RESULT OF THE PROJECT, THE GARMENTS WILL BE EXHIBITED IN CELEBRATION OF THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY SIGNING OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.

FIRE! THE GREAT CHICAGO FIRE AT 150

TOWARD A SUSTAINABLE PRESERVATION ENVIRONMENT AT THE CHICAGO HISTORY MUSEUM

HVAC CONTROLS UPGRADE AT THE CHICAGO HISTORY MUSEUM [THE CHICAGO HISTORY MUSEUM REQUESTS A SUSTAINING CULTURAL HERITAGE COLLECTIONS IMPLEMENTATION GRANT TO REPLACE OUR OBSOLETE AND FRAGMENTED HVAC CONTROLS WITH A MORE UNIFIED BUILDING AUTOMATION SYSTEM (BAS) THAT SERVES OUR PRIMARY CLARK STREET FACILITY. FUNDS WOULD ALSO BE APPLIED TO VARIABLE FREQUENCY DRIVES IN AIR HANDLING UNITS TO ACHIEVE IMPROVED EFFICIENCY FOR OUR HVAC OPERATION. THESE UPGRADES ARE CRITICAL NEXT STEPS IN OUR STRATEGY FOR PREVENTIVE COLLECTION CONSERVATION AND REDUCED ENERGY CONSUMPTION. THEY ARE NECESSARY TO PRESERVE OUR UNIQUE AND VALUABLE HOLDINGS THAT PROVIDE EXPANSIVE EVIDENCE OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MAJOR AMERICAN CITY.]

CHICAGO HISTORY AT HOME

THE CHICAGO HISTORY MUSEUM (CHM) WILL DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A LANDMARK EXHIBITION-FIRE 150-AND RELATED PROGRAMMING TO COMMEMORATE THE GREAT CHICAGO FIRE?S 150TH ANNIVERSARY TO CONNECT VISITORS AND PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS TO THE HISTORY AND RELEVANCE OF THIS EVENT. THIS PROJECT WILL USE HISTORICAL INQUIRY TO INSPIRE CIVIC AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING AMONG YOUTH, AS WELL AS BUILD CHM?S CAPACITY TO SERVE FAMILY AUDIENCES AND FOSTER INTERGENERATIONAL ENGAGEMENT AROUND HISTORICAL CONTENT THAT IS INTELLECTUALLY AND EMOTIONALLY RESONANT. CHM WILL BRING THIS HISTORY TO NEIGHBORHOODS ALL OVER THE CITY THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY, CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THE CHICAGO AVENUE PUMPING STATION, AND LOOKINGGLASS THEATRE.

THE CHICAGO HISTORY MUSEUM WILL INSTALL A TEMPORARY EXHIBITION TO EXPLORE THE HISTORY AND PERSISTENCE OF THE DIVERSE LATINO COMMUNITIES IN CHICAGO. THE EXHIBITION BUILDS UPON A PREVIOUS IMLS-SUPPORTED INITIATIVE TO FOSTER DEEPER RELATIONSHIPS WITH CHICAGO’S LATINO COMMUNITIES THROUGH RESTORATIVE PRACTICES AND CO-CREATIVE PROCESSES. THE MUSEUM WILL COLLABORATE WITH STAFF AND STUDENTS AT THE INSTITUTO JUSTICE AND LEADERSHIP ACADEMY, AND THE PROJECT WILL BE GUIDED BY TWO COMMUNITY ADVISORY GROUPS. THE PROJECT WILL SUPPORT THE PURCHASE OF EXHIBITION MATERIALS, STAFFING TO DESIGN AND INSTALL THE EXHIBIT, AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF ASSOCIATED PUBLIC PROGRAMMING. THE EXHIBITION WILL PROVIDE A SENSE OF INCLUSION AND REPRESENTATION OF CHICAGO’S LATINO COMMUNITIES WHILE CONTRIBUTING TO THE PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THESE COMMUNITIES HELP SHAPE THE CITY.

THE CHICAGO HISTORY MUSEUM WILL LAUNCH A COMMUNITY-DRIVEN INITIATIVE TO SHARE THE DIVERSE HISTORICAL NARRATIVES OF LATINO PEOPLE AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CITY’S DEVELOPMENT. THE MUSEUM WILL BUILD SUSTAINABLE RELATIONSHIPS WITH CHICAGO’S LATINO COMMUNITIES THROUGH RESTORATIVE PRACTICES AND CO-CREATIVE PROCESSES. COMPREHENSIVE PROJECT ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE PAID INTERNSHIPS, MENTORING OPPORTUNITIES, ADVISOR HONORARIA, AND IN-COMMUNITIES WORKSHOPS AND PROGRAMS THROUGH AUDIENCE RESEARCH AND EVALUATION, THE MUSEUM WILL LEARN ABOUT LATINO COMMUNITY MEMBERS’ NEEDS AND IDEAS FOR MAKING IT A MORE WELCOMING AND INCLUSIVE PLACE. MUSEUM STAFF WILL PARTICIPATE IN CULTURAL COMPETENCY TRAINING TO SUPPORT THIS WORK AND THE MUSEUM WILL DEVELOP A COMMUNITY-CENTERED COLLECTING FRAMEWORK TO INCREASE REPRESENTATION OF AND ACCESS TO LATINO HISTORY IN ITS COLLECTIONS.

THE MUSLIM CHICAGO PROJECT WILL CREATE PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN THE CHICAGO HISTORY MUSEUM AND MUSLIM ORAL HISTORY NARRATORS, COMMUNITY ADVISORS, AND SCHOLARS TO DEVELOP AN EXHIBITION THAT REPRESENTS THE BREADTH OF CHICAGO'S MUSLIM COMMUNITIES. THE CO-CREATED, MULTIMEDIA EXHIBITION WILL GIVE FIRST-VOICE REPRESENTATION TO CHICAGO MUSLIMS AND RESULT IN OVER 50 ORAL HISTORIES ADDED TO THE MUSEUM'S COLLECTION. ACCOMPANYING PUBLIC PROGRAMS AND EDUCATION INITIATIVES WILL FOSTER CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND CROSS-CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING. PROJECT GOALS INCLUDE SHARING THE STORIES OF MUSLIM CHICAGOANS, PROVIDING A PLATFORM FOR THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY TO ACHIEVE A GREATER VOICE AND PRESENT THEMSELVES AS ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS IN THE HISTORY AND FUTURE OF THE CITY; HELPING MUSEUM VISITORS LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY, AND THE DIVERSE PRACTICES OF ISLAM; AND DEEPENING THE MUSEUM'S UNDERSTANDING OF CHICAGO'S MUSLIMS AND ITS CAPACITY TO ENGAGE WITH AND BETTER SERVE THEM.

RETHINKING THE GILDED AGE AND PROGRESSIVISMS: RACE, CAPITALISM, DEMOCRACY 1870-1920 [IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOYOLA UNIVERSITY CHICAGO (LUC) AND THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO (UIC), THE CHICAGO HISTORY MUSEUM (CHM) PROPOSES TO REPRISE AND EXPAND "RETHINKING THE GILDED AGE AND PROGRESSIVISMS: RACE, CAPITALISM, DEMOCRACY, 1877 TO 1920" FOR A SIXTH YEAR. THE PROGRAM?S CORE IS A THREE-WEEK SUMMER INSTITUTE IN CHICAGO FOR 30 RESIDENT TEACHERS ACROSS GRADES 6-12 FROM JULY 9-29, 2023, PLUS A NEW VIRTUAL CONFERENCE IN FALL 2023. PARTICIPANTS WILL DEEPEN THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THIS CRUCIAL PERIOD THROUGH READINGS, DISCUSSIONS, LECTURES, INQUIRIES INTO PRIMARY SOURCES, AND EXPLORATION OF LANDMARK HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES IN CHICAGO. THE INSTITUTE CREATES AN INTELLECTUAL SPACE WHERE TEACHERS MAY CONTEMPLATE AND DEBATE HOW INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS DEFINED, REFORMED, AND CONTRIBUTED TO VISIONS FOR AMERICAN DEMOCRACY DURING A PERIOD WHEN RADICALLY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES OFTEN DOMINATED THE PUBLIC POLITICAL AND CULTURAL DISCOURSE.]

RETHINKING THE GILDED AGE AND PROGRESSIVISMS: RACE, CAPITALISM, AND DEMOCRACY, 1877-1920 [IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOYOLA UNIVERSITY CHICAGO AND UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS CHICAGO, THE CHICAGO HISTORY MUSEUM PROPOSES TO REPRISE ?RETHINKING THE GILDED AGE AND PROGRESSIVISMS: RACE, CAPITALISM, DEMOCRACY, 1877 TO 1920? FOR A SEVENTH YEAR. THE PROGRAM?S CORE OUTPUT IS A THREE-WEEK SUMMER INSTITUTE IN CHICAGO FOR 30 RESIDENT TEACHERS ACROSS GRADES 6-12 DURING THE PERIOD OF JULY 6-25, 2025. PARTICIPANTS WILL DEEPEN THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE PERIOD THROUGH READINGS, LECTURES, PRIMARY SOURCES, AND CHICAGO?S HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES. THE INSTITUTE CREATES A SPACE WHERE TEACHERS MAY CONTEMPLATE AND DEBATE HOW INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS DEFINED, REFORMED, AND CONTRIBUTED TO VISIONS FOR AMERICAN DEMOCRACY DURING A PERIOD WHEN DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES OFTEN DOMINATED POLITICAL AND CULTURAL DISCOURSE. PARTICIPANTS WILL LEAVE WITH THE CURRENT SCHOLARSHIP ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE GILDED AGE AND PROGRESSIVE ERA, ALONG WITH TEACHING MATERIALS ROOTED IN THEIR OWN INQUIRIES.]

RETHINKING THE GILDED AGE AND PROGRESSIVISMS: RACE, CAPITALISM, AND DEMOCRACY, 1877-1920

RETHINKING THE GILDED AGE AND PROGRESSIVE ERA: CAPITALISM, DEMOCRACY, AND PROGRESSIVISM

MUSEUMS FOR AMERICA

MANUSCRIPTS CATALOGUING AND PROCESSING PROJECT

A YOUTH ENGAGEMENT PROJECT AT THE STUDS TERKEL CENTER FOR ORAL HISTORY

CHICAGO 00: FERRIS WHEEL

MODERN BY DESIGN: CHICAGO STREAMLINES AMERICA

AQUI EN CHICAGO EXHIBITION PLANNING PROJECT [THE CHICAGO HISTORY MUSEUM SEEKS SUPPORT FROM THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES FOR PLANNING OF THE AQUI EN CHICAGO EXHIBITION. THE TEMPORARY EXHIBIT EXPLORES THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE LATINO/A/X COMMUNITY IN CHICAGO. THE AQUI EN CHICAGO EXHIBITION PLANNING PROJECT SEEKS TO SUPPORT EXHIBITION DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT, INCLUDING SCHEMATIC DESIGN, INTERPRETIVE WRITING, AND GRAPHIC DESIGN. THE TEMPORARY EXHIBITION WILL BE ON VIEW AT THE CHICAGO HISTORY MUSEUM BETWEEN OCTOBER 2025 AND OCTOBER 2026.]

TO BUILD ITS CAPACITY TO REPRESENT AND SERVE ALL CHICAGOANS, THE CHICAGO HISTORY MUSEUM WILL IMPLEMENT A MULTI-PHASE EFFORT TO IDENTIFY AND ADDRESS BIAS THROUGHOUT ITS OPERATIONS. WORKING WITH A DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION CONSULTING FIRM, THE MUSEUM WILL CONDUCT A COMPREHENSIVE AUDIT OF ITS WORKPLACE CULTURE AND USE SURVEYS, INTERVIEWS, AND FOCUS GROUPS TO INVOLVE STAFF IN ALL DEPARTMENTS AND AT ALL LEVELS IN ASSESSING ITS STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES IN PROMOTING AN INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR EMPLOYEES. ALL STAFF WILL PARTICIPATE IN CUSTOMIZED TRAINING TO IMPROVE THEIR CULTURAL COMPETENCIES. THE MUSEUM WILL INTEGRATE THE RESULTING CHANGES INTO ITS INTERNAL SYSTEMS AND PROCESSES, INCLUDING ADDING ACTION STEPS TO ITS CURRENT STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WILL OPERATIONALIZE THE INSTITUTIONAL COMMITMENT TO ANTI-BIAS WORK. THE OVERALL PROJECT GOAL IS TO BUILD A FOUNDATION FOR A STRONGER ANTI-RACISM, ANTI-BIAS CULTURE THAT RESONATES THROUGHOUT THE MUSEUM AND INTO THE COMMUNITIES ITSERVES.

MUSEUMS FOR AMERICA

"THE CHICAGO HISTORY MUSEUM WILL CONVERT ANALOG CARD CATALOG RECORDS FOR 6,000 SMALL MANUSCRIPT COLLECTIONS INTO FULLY DIGITAL CATALOG RECORDS. ACQUIRED BY THE MUSEUM IN THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY, THE COLLECTIONS MANUSCRIPTS DESCRIBE ASPECTS OF LIFE IN THE UNITED STATES FROM THE COLONIAL ERA TO THE CIVIL WAR, AND THEIR DESCRIPTIONS HAVE NOT BEEN UPDATED. THE MUSEUM WILL PHOTOCOPY THE EXISTING CATALOG CARDS, ENTER ALL CATALOG DATA FOR THE DOCUMENTS, AND PREPARE THE DATA FOR BATCH ENTRY INTO ITS ONLINE CATALOG. PROJECT ACTIVITIES WILL ALSO INCLUDE UPDATING APPROXIMATELY 1,600 EXISTING CATALOG RECORDS FOR THE SMALL MANUSCRIPT COLLECTIONS THAT ARE ALREADY DIGITIZED. UPON COMPLETION OF THIS WORK, THE COLLECTIONS WILL BE DISCOVERABLE BOTH IN THE MUSEUM'S PUBLIC ONLINE LIBRARY SYSTEM AND IN THE DIGITAL DATABASES IT BELONGS TO, INCLUDING WORLDCAT AND EXPLORE CHICAGO COLLECTIONS. THIS PROJECT WILL ALLOW ALL OF THE MUSEUM'S SMALL MANUSCRIPT COLLECTIONS TO BECOME FULLY DISCOVERABLE BY REMOTE AUDIENCES."

TO SUPPORT PRODUCTION OF AN APP TO RE-CONTEXTUALIZE THE MUSEUM'S PHOTOGRAPHIC ARCHIVE.

TO SUPPORT EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING FOR THE EXHIBITION "RAILROADERS: JACK DELANO'S HOMEFRONT PHOTOGRAPHY."

TO SUPPORT THE EXHIBITION MODERN BY DESIGN: CHICAGO STREAMLINES AMERICA AT THE CHICAGO HISTORY MUSEUM.

PURPOSE: TO SUPPORT A SUMMER MUSEUM EDUCATION INITIATIVE AT THE CHICAGO HISTORY MUSEUM.

NATIONAL AWARD FOR MUSEUM SERVICE