Raw Material: Uncovering Chicago’s Historical Collections

As a member of the Chicago Collections, Theatre Historic Society of America loaned items from the archives to the inaugural exhibit.

The stories Chicagoans tell about themselves and their history are as diverse and dynamic as the city itself. But where do they find the resources and evidence to bring those stories to life? To answer this question, Chicago Collections in collaboration with Chicago Public Library, presents its inaugural exhibition Raw Material: Uncovering Chicago’s Historical Collections, including a selection of notable archives, manuscripts, and objects pulled from over 20 archival repositories across the region. The free exhibit opens August 7, and continues through November 15, 2015, in the Special Collections Exhibition Hall, 9th Floor, at the Harold Washington Library Center, 400 S. State St. The exhibit is supported in part by an anonymous donor and the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation.

Raw Material: Uncovering Chicago’s Historical Collections features a rich display of personal, cultural and historical artifacts including photographs, letters, diaries, and other diverse items. The objects tell stories linking Chicago’s past to the intimate, personal experiences of life in our city. Chicago Collections will also host multiple lectures, artist talks, and educational projects related to the exhibition.

“Of course, I want visitors to be wowed by the items in the show,” said Guest Curator Riva Feshbach, “But I also want to inspire them to imagine what new stories these collections can help them tell. Whether looking at a statistical description or personal accounts, this exhibition will not only allow visitors to discover the objects being presented, but also to learn more about the source of the information and how particular points of view become expressed.”

About Chicago Collections
Chicago Collections is a consortium of libraries, museums, and other institutions that collaborate to preserve, celebrate, and share the archival collections of Chicago’s rich history and culture, and believes the region’s heritage should be available for everyone to explore—freely, easily, and openly.

Member institutions include: Alliance Française de Chicago, Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago History Museum, Chicago Public Library, Chicago State University, Chicago Zoological Society, Columbia College Chicago, DePaul University, The Ernest Hemingway Foundation of Oak Park, Illinois Institute of Technology, Lake Forest College, Loyola University Chicago, Newberry Library, Northern Illinois University, Northwestern University, Oak Park Public Library, Roosevelt University, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Theatre Historical Society of America, University of Chicago, and University of Illinois at Chicago. Chicago Collections is grateful to an anonymous donor and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation for their support in the formation of this organization.

ABOUT THEATRE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA: Founded by Ben Hall in 1969, the Theatre Historical Society of America (THS) celebrates, documents and promotes the architectural, cultural and social relevance of America’s historic theatres. Through its preservation of the collections in the American Theatre Architecture Archive, its signature publication Marquee™ and Conclave Theatre Tour, THS increases awareness, appreciation and scholarly study of America’s theatres.
Learn more about historic theatres on our website at historictheatres.org