Life & English: “Online Exhibions”

Online exhibions are becoming a new development trend for many museums. The Chicago History Museum is one of these museums.

Founded in 1856 and incorporated in 1857 by an act of the state legislature, the Chicago Historical Society, the first name of Chicago History Museum, and its collection grew and opened its first building at the corner of Dearborn and Ontario Streets. This Museum is the oldest Cultural Institute in Chicago. It is one of the most famous museums in Midwestern United States. That building and most of the collection, however, burned during the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. After three years and a second fire that destroyed most of the remaining collection, the Society renewed its operations. Occupying temporary buildings on the same site until 1896, the organization built a massive stone edifice designed by Henry Ives Cobb, which housed the Gilpin Library and exhibition spaces.

A worshop introducing the museum

In February 2006, the Chicago Historical Society announced its new name: The Chicago History Museum. Later that year, the Museum celebrated a grand reopening, unveiling a dramatic new lobby and redesigned exhibition spaces. Signature exhibitions such as Chicago: Crossroads of America and Sensing Chicago debuted, while an old favorite, Imagining Chicago: The Dioramas, was restored and updated.

Thousands of school groups from Chicago and the surrounding area visit annually. The Research Center serves thousands each year, from schoolchildren working on History Fair projects to PhD students writing dissertations to filmmakers researching documentaries.

Now the Museum has many online exhibitions. Some of them are “A wheel with a view”,”Lincoln at 200”, “Chicago: Law and Disorder”, “The Dramas of Haymarket”, “Ride around Chicago”, “Touring Chicago’s Culinary History”… The Museum continues to share the stories of the city and its people through programs, publications, film, exhibitions, online exhibition and other digital media.

Quy Minh