Driehaus Museum
The basics
General admission to the museum includes a self-guided tour of the 3-story mansion that transports visitors back to Chicago around the turn of the 20th century. Highlights include the domed stained-glass ceiling and showstopping fireplace in the first-floor gallery, Romanesque sculptures in the library, and an Islamic-inspired smoking room with blue Moorish tiles off the main hall.
In addition to the permanent collection of period furnishings and artworks, the museum hosts rotating special exhibits that are seamlessly integrated into the decor. Highly recommended docent-led tours are available for a small additional fee and cover the mansion’s history and must-see design elements.
Things to know before you go
- Children age 12 and under and active military can visit the museum for free.
- Guided tours often sell out, so purchase tour tickets in advance to avoid disappointment.
- Personal, non-flash photography is allowed inside the museum.
- All three floors of the museum are wheelchair accessible; the accessible entrance is next door to the main entrance, at 50 East Erie Street.
How to get there
The Driehaus Museum is in Chicago’s Near North neighborhood at 40 East Erie Street, within walking distance from the city’s dining and retail hub along the Magnificent Mile. There is no on-site parking, but the museum validates parking at the ROW Self-Park garage at 50 East Ohio Street.
Trip ideas
When to get there
The museum is open Friday and Saturday from 10am to 6pm, and Sunday from 12pm to 6pm, with last admission an hour before closure. Check the calendar before you go, as the museum closes on several major holiday dates.
Gilded Age Chicago
Between 1880 and 1930, Chicago’s rising status as the Midwest's industrial center led to a boom in exceptional beaux-arts and art nouveau architecture. If you like the Driehaus Museum, check out other restored historic buildings from this era that are open to the public, including the LondonHouse Hotel, Palmer House, and Chicago Athletic Association.
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