The Driehaus Museum
Last Wednesday after work, we visited the Driehaus Museum, just a few blocks from our apartment. They are open late on Wednesdays! As an extra treat, my friend Kasey from Tampa was in town and joined us for the museum and dinner afterward.
The Driehaus is a testament to the opulence of the Gilded Age. The main structure is an 1880’s mansion built by banker Samuel M. Nickerson. In 2008, the house was transformed into a museum by Richard H. Driehaus, a Chicago financier, philanthropist, and art collector. Visitors can walk through the rooms of the mansion, which have been carefully restored and furnished. A few highlights:
As soon as we stepped through the Nickerson Mansion’s front door, it was clear why people called it “The Marble Palace”: the Main Hall had 17 different kinds of marble!
Some rooms had textured walls covered with Lincrusta-Walton, made from wood pulp and linseed oil. The result looked like elaborately tooled leather. Beautiful.
The Art Gallery had a gorgeous stained glass dome, but the walls were bare because the Nickerson family donated the entire art collection to the Art Institute of Chicago.
On the upper levels of the mansion, we saw the mansion’s bedrooms, which had beautiful fireplaces, parquet floors, and lamps. These rooms held a special exhibit of jewelry and decorative items from private collections. There was diverse array of styles, including Art Nouveau, Arts & Crafts, and Art Deco.
Just last month, the Driehaus Museum was expanded to include the Murphy Memorial Auditorium next door. This historic performance hall was built 1923-26 by the American College of Surgeons. Interestingly, the stained glass window, designed by Ann Lee Willet, was selected over a design by Tiffany Studios. Tiffany did design the huge bronze doors on the front of the building.
For any fan of the Gilded Age, the Driehaus Museum is a must-see. Admission is free with reciprocal membership in a NARM institution.
