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The Chicago History Museum is a renowned museum located in the heart of downtown Chicago. Established in 1856, it is one of the oldest institutions in the city and serves as an educational and public resource to tell the stories of Chicago’s diverse past. The Museum features a wide array of permanent exhibitions and hosts rotating exhibitions that explore local history, archival collections, and artifacts. The building itself is iconic, with its grand stone façade and prominent spire making it an easily-recognizable landmark on North Clark Street.

Within the museum’s walls lies over 25 million objects and documents, including items from Chicago’s growth from early Native American settlements to its rise as a global city. Visitors can experience moments from history through interactive displays and multimedia experiences while browsing more than 350 years worth of artifacts, photographs, artwork, city records, and more. One particular highlight is the permanent exhibition entitled “Chicago: Crossroads of America” which showcases nearly 250 years of artistry, innovation, adversity and accomplishment through dynamic exhibits featuring over 600 objects - such as paintings, sculptures, audio presentations and artifacts like clothing worn by famous figures throughout Chicago's history.

The Museum also offers a range of public programming events including monthly Speakers Series lectures with notable authors; survey courses on topics related to local history; family programs; walking tours through historic neighborhoods; film screenings; live music performances; book clubs; cultural celebrations; plus much more. As a further commitment to community involvement there are docent-led tours for school groups available at no cost for Chicago Public School students. It has been home to civic engagement projects such as “Make Big Plans: Daniel Burnham for 21st Century Cities" –which explored how lessons from Burnham's Plan of 1909 are relevant today–and "One Book One Chicago," which invited residents to read popular books about topics or characters related to life in the midwest region.

Overall, the Chicago History Museum stands out for its unique collection of pieces that cover centuries of local history alongside engaging programming events that unify people across generations around shared experiences. From school groups on field trips to adults who want to uncover stories they never heard before – visitors leave with knowledge they will carry with them forever.