Upcoming Exhibits

World of Tomorrow: A Century of Progress

August 29, 2025 - January 4, 2026

In honor of Chicago's 100th anniversary, the city hosted its second world's fair in 40 years, the Century of Progress International Exposition. The fair spanned over 400 acres of Chicago's lakeshore, showcasing technological innovations and lifting people's spirits during the Great Depression. Our exhibition, World of Tomorrow: A Century of Progress, will delve into how the 1933-1934 world's fair symbolized optimism and hope, illustrating Chicago's evolution from a frontier town to a sophisticated metropolis. This world's fair was notably one of the most successful in history, drawing a record-breaking 39 million attendees and featured a distinctive design aesthetic, as evidenced by the numerous souvenirs collected by fairgoers.

See our CURRENT EXHIBITS page to learn more about exhibitions now on display.