museum : tours : rentals : house : collections : events : volunteers : support : store : location
organizational history : mission : board/funders

MISSION AND GOALS The Mission of Glessner House Museum is to engage diverse audiences in exploring urban life and design through the preservation and interpretation of the architecture of Henry Hobson Richardson and the historic home of John and Frances Glessner. Glessner House Museum (GHM) works to increase public awareness, understanding and appreciation for the history and architecture of Chicago as represented in the lives and home of the John J. Glessner family and the surrounding Prairie Avenue Historic District. PRESERVATION The National Historic Landmark Glessner House, designed by noted American architect Henry Hobson Richardson and completed in 1887, is an internationally known architectural treasure in Chicago. It is also a fully accredited museum (accredited by the American Association of Museums) which houses a collection of nearly 5,000 objects, including arts and crafts furnishings, engravings, books, and art objects. INTERPRETATION GHM offers guided tours, lectures, and other special programs to interpret the themes of art, architecture, and social history which are inherent in Glessner House, the museum's collections, and the stories of its residents and neighbors during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.