Apr. 12-Aug. 11, 2024: Arte Diseño Xicágo II-From the World’s Fair To The Present Day (Chicago)

The National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago is hosting an exhibit that explores art from the time of the 1893 World’s Fair. Arte Diseño Xicágo II (Art Design Chicago II) runs from April 12 through August 11, 2024. This exhibition examines the 1893 World’s Fair as a platform for expressions of cultural identity and reveals how many Chicago and Mexican artists had similar objectives. The exhibition features 19th-century works of art from both Chicago and Mexico by some [...]

By |2024-03-22T09:37:24-05:00March 22nd, 2024|Categories: EVENTS, EXHIBITS (current)|Tags: |0 Comments

Feb.-Oct., 2024: “World’s Fairs, Expositions, & Centennial Celebrations of the Victorian Era” (Ames, IA)

The Farm House Museum at Iowa State University in Ames is hosting an exhibition on “World's Fairs, Expositions, & Centennial Celebrations of the Victorian Era” from February through October, 2024. This exhibition illustrates through objects and narrative the earliest World’s Fair in 1851 London, through several in Paris, and the Centennial and World’s Columbian Exhibitions in the United States. The University Museums’ permanent collection includes several objects that were souvenirs of some of the fifteen major World’s Fairs or Expositions [...]

By |2024-02-21T15:53:27-06:00February 22nd, 2024|Categories: EVENTS, EXHIBITS (current)|0 Comments

Jan-Dec, 2024: Dress worn at the 1893 World’s Fair on Display (Ripon, WI)

The small city of Ripon, Wisconsin, sent 1,375 of its citizens to experience the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. This was one-third of the city’s population at that time, reports the Ripon Press. A dress worn by one Ripon visitor to the World's Fair is a part of the collection at the Ripon Historical Society and is on display through the end of 2024 as part of its “The Stories We Wear” exhibit. The Society, located at 508 [...]

By |2024-01-28T12:14:02-06:00January 28th, 2024|Categories: EVENTS, EXHIBITS (current)|0 Comments

May 26, 2023: “Chicago’s Legacy Hula” opens

A limited-time exhibition “Chicago's Legacy Hula” opened on May 26, 2023, at the Field Museum. Set inside the entrance to the Regenstein Hall of the Pacific, the exhibit includes the story of a Hawaiian musical group that made their way to the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago. Queen Lili‘uokalani sent Hui Lei Mamo, a royal chorus and Hula troupe, from the island kingdom to perform at the Columbian Exposition. Soon after, pro-American forces in Hawaiʻi overthrew the Queen. The [...]

By |2023-10-02T13:38:40-05:00May 29th, 2023|Categories: EXHIBITS (current)|Tags: , |0 Comments

Dec. 2, 2022 – Feb. 1, 2023: A Columbian Exposition quilt on display (Woodland, CA)

“Expressions in Cloth,” a new exhibition at YoloArts’ Gallery 625 in Woodland, California, includes a beautiful quilt by artist Sherry Werum that features images inspired by the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. World's Fair enthusiasts might see Louis Sullivan's iconic Golden Door entrance to the Transporation Building or William Le Baron Jenney's stunning glass dome of the Horticultural Building among Werum's intricate design. “Expressions in Cloth” runs from December 2, 2022, to February 1, 2023, at Gallery 625 [...]

By |2022-12-04T09:04:02-06:00December 4th, 2022|Categories: EXHIBITS (current), NEWS, Uncategorized|Tags: , |0 Comments

Oct. 8, 2021: “City on Fire” opens at the Chicago History Museum

Embers of the Great Chicago Fire continue to smolder. Stories of tragedy and triumph from October 8–10, 1871, and the years of rebuilding that followed have been cause for somber remembrance and jubilant celebration throughout the years, including at “Chicago Day” held at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. To commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Fire, the Chicago History Museum has opened a new permanent exhibit, “City on Fire: Chicago 1871." Several displays and artifacts connected to the 1893 [...]

By |2022-08-11T15:27:02-05:00October 16th, 2021|Categories: EVENTS (past), EXHIBITS (current)|Tags: , |0 Comments

A visit to the Elmhurst History Museum

We had the pleasure of visiting the  Elmhurst History Museum's new exhibit, “Worlds of Wonder: Remembering Chicagoland’s Amusement Parks”, which we described here. The story of amusement parks in Chicago begins at the great 1893 World's Columbian Exposition and continues through today. The exhibit is free and runs through August 18, 2019.

By |2019-06-09T19:17:15-05:00June 9th, 2019|Categories: EXHIBITS (current), NEWS|0 Comments

Finding the Fair at the Field

In terms of quantity and quality, one of the greatest collections of objects from the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition resides in the Field Museum in Chicago. The permanent collection is a treasure trove of unique and fascinating items from the 1893 Exposition. We visited the museums several times recently to take in some of the temporary exhibits having World’s Fair materials on display and share a few photos here. Beyond Bollywood: Indian Americans Shape the Nation ran from July [...]

Meat Free Since ’93: National Vegetarian Museum tours Chicago

Did you know that Chicago became an epicenter for vegetarianism in the late 1800s? This question open the display of the National Vegetarian Museum exhibit currently touring the Chicago region. Did you also know that it happened at the 1893 World’s Fair? In early June of 1893, vegetarians from around the world gathered in Chicago, "hog butcher for the world," as part of the World's Congress program of the Columbian Exposition. “Fresh countenances and sturdy frames characterized most of [...]

Vienna Beef History Museum opens in Chicago

We have not yet reached the dog days of summer, but Chicago is already celebrating its most famous dog, with the opening of the Vienna Beef History Museum. The 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition launched the careers of many now-famous food items, including shredded wheat, Aunt Jemima pancake mix, chili, brownies, and one of Chicago’s iconic bites: the hot dog. The Vienna beef hot dog made its debut at the World’s Fair at a stand operated by Austrian-Hungarian immigrants Emil [...]

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