💡✨ Tiffany, Oz & Gilded Grandeur — FREE Evening at the Driehaus Museum 🖼️🎨

💡✨ Tiffany, Oz & Gilded Grandeur — FREE Evening at the Driehaus Museum 🖼️🎨

Spur-of-the-Moment Event: FREE Evening at the Driehaus Museum with Tiffany Lamps & The Land of Oz — Plus a Self-Guided Tour

Since I will already be downtown for a Broadway in Chicago matinee, let’s take advantage of one of Chicago’s best-kept secrets: free Wednesday evenings at the Driehaus Museum!

🗓 Wednesday, 2/4/26
⏰ 5:00–7:00 PM
📍 Richard H. Driehaus Museum 50 E. Erie St, Chicago
💸 FREE after 4 PM until 7 PM
🎟 No ticket needed — just meet inside the main lobby
🔗 Plan your visit:
https://driehausmuseum.org/visit/plan-your-visit

If you cannot make it at 5 pm, then join later as long you arrive by 6 pm as museum closes at 7 pm!

***

🏛️ What We’ll Do
This visit isn’t just about the exhibitions — we’ll also tour the museum itself, exploring the lavish historic interiors of the 1883 Nickerson Mansion, one of Chicago’s most extraordinary Gilded Age homes.

Expect marble staircases, stained glass, fireplaces, carved woodwork, mosaic floors, and over-the-top decorative arts that make the building a destination all on its own. We’ll move through the permanent collection and then spend time with the special exhibitions.

***

🌟 Current Exhibitions
Tiffany Lamps: Beyond the Shade
Sept 12, 2025 – March 15, 2026
From the 1890s to the 1920s, artisans at Tiffany Studios created luminous works using bronze, enamel, pottery, and glass. This exhibition invites us to see these iconic lamps not just as objects, but as works of art shaped by innovation, craftsmanship, and design history.

The Land of Oz: Beyond the Page
Nov 13, 2025 – March 15, 2026
A fascinating look at the creative process behind The Wizard of Oz, from book to screen. Highlights include a replica of Dorothy’s Ruby Slippers, early script drafts, a Flying Monkey costume prototype, Emerald City costume pieces, and rare production artwork.
📍 Located on the 3rd floor

***

🏛️ About the Driehaus Museum
The Driehaus Museum is dedicated to art, architecture, and design of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It spans two historic landmark buildings — the Nickerson Mansion and the Murphy Auditorium — and presents collections and exhibitions in a fully immersive setting.

Saved from demolition in 1919 by a group of concerned Chicagoans and later restored by philanthropist Richard H. Driehaus (2003–2008), the museum reflects Driehaus’s passion for historic preservation and classical design. It remains one of the most elegant and underappreciated museums in the city.

***

🍸 Optional Drink or Dinner After
Anyone who wants to keep the night going is welcome to join me afterward at a nearby spot.
🍽️ Options will be shared closer to the date.
⚠️ Please bring cash — some venues may not split checks.

***

🚇 Getting There
• CTA: Google Maps or CTA Trip Planner
• Driving: Metered street parking on Erie & nearby streets
• Garages nearby — SpotHero or ParkWhiz recommended

***

⚠️ Important Notes
• Multi-meetup group event
• If joining late, please arrive by 6:00 PM
• RSVP responsibly — space is limited

🚫 No-Show Policy
• 3 no-shows = 3-month event freeze
• RSVP cut-off = event start time
• If running late, message the host
• Repeated no-shows or failure to check in may result in removal

✨ Gilded Age glamour, Tiffany glow, Oz magic — and a full museum wander. A perfect winter evening! ✨