The Richard H. Driehaus Museum

The Richard H. Driehaus Museum The Richard H. Driehaus Museum explores the art, architecture, and design of the late 19th century to the present.
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The collection and exhibitions are presented in an immersive experience within the restored Nickerson Mansion, completed in 1883.

06/17/2026

✨tiny treasures✨

Before automatic watches were invented, pocket watch users had to rewind their watches each day (or every other day, for more advanced models) ⏱️

These tiny, intricate Swiss & English watch keys are beautiful examples of the tools used to set and wind early pocket watches from the early 16th century until the second half of the 19th century, when stem-wind watches were invented.

Want to see this collection of tiny treasures back on display at the museum? Come cast your vote at our 18th Birthday Celebration this Saturday!

This Poinsettia Table Lamp is a classic example of Tiffany Studios' nature-inspired designs. In the late 1900s, as Ameri...
06/15/2026

This Poinsettia Table Lamp is a classic example of Tiffany Studios' nature-inspired designs.

In the late 1900s, as American cities rapidly industrialized and expanded, nature became Tiffany’s personal muse. Under his creative guidance, artisans cast naturalistic forms from bronze and strove to emulate nature’s rainbow hues in glass.

These were meticulously assembled into captivating lampshades that brought the beauty of nature indoors and provided customers a moment of escape from urban American life.

Want to see this Tiffany Treasure back on display at the Museum? Cast your vote at our 18th Birthday Celebration this Saturday!

Plus, enjoy birthday treats and custom caricatures while you’re here. 🎉Register for this free event at the link in bio.

Credit: Tiffany Studios (American, 1902–1932), Poinsettia Table Lamp, circa 1910. The Richard H. Driehaus Museum Collection.

Images by Alex Brescanu

Back when copying other artists' work was legal...James Sidebotham and William McCleary built their businesses on reprod...
06/12/2026

Back when copying other artists' work was legal...

James Sidebotham and William McCleary built their businesses on reproducing London cartoons in an Ireland without copyright law, then turned on each other for doing that exact thing. ⚖️

Swipe to learn more about their rivalry, and visit Ink & Outrage at the Driehaus Museum to see their work in person 🖼️

06/09/2026

Join us for a month of celebrations at the Driehaus Museum, with June programs ranging from engaging talks and neighborhood tours to live music and special festivities.

Discover new perspectives, connect with Chicago’s history, and celebrate with us all month long 🎉

Register & learn more at the link in bio!

Meet the Candidate: Gorham Manufacturing Company Coffee Pot ☕✨At our 18th Birthday Celebration, you’ll have the chance t...
06/04/2026

Meet the Candidate: Gorham Manufacturing Company Coffee Pot ☕✨

At our 18th Birthday Celebration, you’ll have the chance to help decide which object returns to view, and this ornate 1881 coffee pot is a standout contender.

Designed by Gorham Manufacturing Company, this piece beautifully echoes details found throughout the Driehaus Museum. From its delicate floral motifs to its sweeping curves and domed lid, the pot mirrors the Moorish-inspired design of our Sitting Room and beyond.

Cast your vote at the celebration and make your mark on what’s on display next. Plus enjoy birthday treats and custom caricatures while you’re here 🎉

Register for this free event at the link in bio.

Credit: Coffee Pot, Gorham Manufacturing Company, 1881. Collection of the Richard H. Driehaus Museum.

We’ve got a lot to celebrate this year: the Museum is turning 18, the Murphy Auditorium is hitting 100, and the United S...
05/29/2026

We’ve got a lot to celebrate this year: the Museum is turning 18, the Murphy Auditorium is hitting 100, and the United States turns 250!

On June 20th, travel back in time with us for a day of free, family-friendly fun including birthday treats, Gilded-Age-inspired crafts and custom caricatures.

As a special highlight, guests will have the unique opportunity to cast their vote (we are turning 18, after all!) on an object to be featured in the Museum and enjoy early access to new Museum merchandise.

Stay tuned for more info on the candidates for next object on display!

05/27/2026

In this print, titled “Very Slippy-Weather,” James Gillray captures the buzz of 18th-century London, where satire unfolded in public view. Here, crowds gather at the window of Hannah Humphrey’s print shop, absorbed in Gillray’s latest works, turning the street into a place for observation, gossip, and critique.

At the center of the print, an elderly gentleman slips on the icy pavement, falling hard and losing his hat, wig, coins, and s***f box in the process. While a barking dog notices the man, the crowd remains fixated on the prints.

By including his work, his publisher’s shop, and his audience in this piece, Gillray blurs the line between artist, seller, and spectator. “Very Slippy-Weather” transforms a winter mishap into a witty reflection on distraction, spectacle, and the impact of Gillray’s own work.

Listen to Executive Director Lisa Key and co-curators Silvia Beltrametti and William Laffan discuss this piece, and download the app to explore the full ‘Ink & Outrage’ audio guide.

Image: James Gillray (1756-1815), ‘Very Slippy-Weather’, Published in London by Hannah Humphrey (1750-1818), February 10, 1808.

Restoring the Nickerson Mansion was a five-year process involving a gifted team of architects, conservators, craftsmen, ...
05/22/2026

Restoring the Nickerson Mansion was a five-year process involving a gifted team of architects, conservators, craftsmen, and technicians from more than forty specialist firms.

Swipe to discover how these skilled artisans brought our Maher Gallery stained glass dome back to life 👉

Image 1 by Alexander Vertikoff, Image 10 by Alex Brescanu

stainedglas

“Caricature is the intellectual vehicle that speaks truth to power in the fastest, funniest, and most piercing way possi...
05/19/2026

“Caricature is the intellectual vehicle that speaks truth to power in the fastest, funniest, and most piercing way possible.” — ‘Ink & Outrage’ co-curator Silvia Beltrametti

Now open at the Driehaus Museum: ‘Ink & Outrage: 18th-Century Satirical Prints in London & Dublin’ explores how artists used humor, exaggeration, and graphic brilliance to challenge politics, culture, and society in Georgian London & Dublin. Presenting original designs alongside “pirated” reproductions, the exhibition sparks conversations about originality, copyright, and mass reproduction that feel especially relevant today.

Don’t miss the exhibition the called “a treat for lovers of history and humor alike!” Read the full Tribune article & get your tickets today at the link in bio 🔗

Images:
1. Co-curators Silvia Beltrametti & William Laffan, John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune
2. Les Invisibles, After James Gillray
3. Matrimonial Harmonics, James Gillray, Published by Hannah Humphrey, circa 1805, Loaned by the O’Brien Foundation
4. The Union Club, James Gillray, 1801, Published by Hannah Humphrey, January 21, 1801

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50 E Erie Street
Chicago, IL
60611

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Wednesday 11am - 7pm
Thursday 11am - 5pm
Friday 11am - 5pm
Saturday 11am - 5pm
Sunday 11am - 5pm

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