1601 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60614
312-799-2254
View their website
Average Base Cost: $42,000
Average base cost for a Chicago History Museum wedding is calculated by figuring a 125-person guest list on a Saturday evening using $200/pp for food and beverage. Entertainment, furniture, parking, additional decorations and rentals, DJ, and photography are not included. Price is rounded up to the nearest thousand and includes tax and gratuity.
*Prices subject to change
How it Breaks Down
Facility Rental Fee:
For 2017 the Chicago History Museum cost breaks down as follows:
- Friday Evening: $7,000*
- Saturday Evening: $9,500
- Sunday Evening: $6,000*
*Saturday night fee applies to Sunday evenings of holiday weekends.
Seasonal discounted rates are offered for Saturday evenings as follows:
- December :$7,500
- January – April: $6,500
For daytime events the venue would charge the following:
- 3.5 Hours: $4,000
From 10:00 AM –1:30 PM
What’s Included: Evening rentals include the following:
- Rental of the Second Floor Lobby, Robinson Gallery, Chicago Room, Uihlein Plaza and private bridal suite from 6:00 PM -12:00 AM (6 hours)
- Security service, coat check personnel at the front desk, janitorial services, and a member of the Special Events team to be on site for the duration of your event.
Food/Beverage: All food must be provided by one of the preferred caterers. A sample catering proposal from Blue Plate Catering in 2016 quoted $150/pp for hors d’oeuvres, a plated dinner, equipment, linens, and staff. Beverage must be provided by the Chicago History Museum, and they offer packages based on number of hours and level. For example, for a 5-hour event prices range from $28/pp for a wine/beer package to $38/pp for the Platinum level package (Grey Goose, Jack Daniels, etc.).
Extras: The Chicago History Museum will rent any tables and chairs from Hall’s Rental to be utilized for your event, as well as in-house audio visual equipment available for use at an additional charge. Note: Equipment fees may be subject to a maximum 10% increase due to their vendor’s annual cost adjustments.
Sample prices for furniture include:
- 60″ Round Table (30): $10.00 per table
- 30″ Round Cabaret Table (15): $9.00 per table
- 30″ Round Highboy Table (15): $14.00 per table
- 6’ Rectangular Table (15): $9.55 per table
- 8’ Rectangular Table (15): $10.25 per table
- Ivory Wood Garden Chair (300): $6.30 per chair
More Stats
Space Type: Inside/Outside
Size: The Chicago History Museum can accommodate the following for a wedding:
Seated Dinner with DJ: 300 guests
Seated Dinner with Orchestra: 260 guests
Strolling Reception: 350 guests
Bridal Suite: Yes
Parking: Yes. The museum has a 460-car secure parking lot, which they can help you arrange valet for or guests can self-park for $9 (a fee which you can also choose to cover and pay ahead of time). Shuttles and limos can also drop guests at the museum’s entrance.
Food Service Type: Your choice
How Will Grandma Get There? The Chicago History Museum is located in Lincoln Park, which is located in downtown Chicago and is extremely convenient for guests. Nearby hotels include The Drake and the Hotel Lincoln.
Party On! Events must end by midnight ($2,000 extension fee to end at 1 a.m.).
The Report
Overlooking Lincoln Park and the Gold Coast skyline, the Chicago History Museum is the city’s oldest cultural institution. Founded in 1856, the museum started from the Chicago Historical Society’s collection, and wasn’t renamed the Chicago History Museum until 2006. It was then that they renovated 75% of their public space, as well as new galleries and exhibitions.
Woman Getting Married Says
Chicago brides: I REALLY love this as a wedding venue. Having that kind of history and layout and space in a prime city location is rare, and because of that it’s not going to come cheap. However, if you have the budget and are planning a large wedding, I would highly recommend visiting this wedding venue (but do so fast because Saturdays in the warmer months book up fast!). If you need the space and loft venues aren’t your thing, this is an amazing choice.
Even though most brides use the black and white marble floor in the Chicago Room as their dance floor and flank the tables on either side since it’s a long and narrow room (which can sometimes discourage guests from dancing), overall the space for a ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception is classic and ideal. In terms of decor there’s very little you would have to add here which would help offset the cost. However I LOVE the idea of using ferns as part of the decor in the Chicago Room (as some other couples have done). Some brides have noted some last-minute charges for deliveries, etc., so just be sure to have everything planned out ahead of time so there are no surprises.
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