Historical Museum

847-853-7666
609 Ridge Road
Wilmette, IL 60091

The Wilmette Historical Museum is dedicated to exploring, preserving, and sharing the lively history of Wilmette and its surroundings. The Museum is located in a beautiful 1896 landmark building at 609 Ridge Road in Wilmette, and is open to the public five days a week: Sunday through Thursday, 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.  Admission is always free of charge, and families are very welcome.

The Museum hosts delightful programs for all ages, including lectures, workshops, tours, and children’s activities.  Check the “Events” calendar to see what is going on this month at the Museum, or visit the Upcoming Programs page.

There are always new things to see and do at the Historical Museum, which combines popular continuing exhibits like “Wilmette Stories” and the old jail cells with rotating exhibits that take a new look at the colorful histories of North Shore people and places.  Visitors will also enjoy exploring the magnificent historic building itself, which once served the now-vanished village of Gross Point as its village hall.  The beauty and rarity of this building resulted in its designation as a National Landmark.

Visitors to the Museum are also welcome to use the Research Room, where you can work with Museum staff to explore a wealth of reference material, including rare documents, maps, and photographs, to find out more about the history of your home, your family, and your Village.   And if you have memories or memorabilia of your own that you would like to see professionally preserved so that future generations can enjoy them, the staff would be glad to talk with you about donations to the Museum’s collections.

To find out more about the Museum’s events, exhibits, and programs, and to access online resources for researching local history, visit the Wilmette Historical Museum website.

Wilmette
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