West Chicago City Museum

The West Chicago City Museum is a dynamic history and art center that inspires and involves the community through research, programs and exhibits. The museum vows to encourage and fulfill the cultural needs for expression, as well as promote acceptance and understanding of the West Chicago community.

The West Chicago City Museum is a department of the city of West Chicago. The museum was established by City ordinance in 1975, in the building of the original West Chicago town hall. The collection is held in the public trust and exists for the public’s informational and educational benefit.

Initially an agricultural region settled in the 1830s & 40s, the community holds the distinction of being the first Illinois town created as a result of the railroads. The community’s original name, Junction, refers to the convergence of rail lines where this lively town of railroad workers and facilities sprang up.  Seeking to reinvent itself as “Chicago’s Coming Great Manufacturing Suburb” the town was renamed West Chicago in 1896.

Today West Chicago is a suburban community of over 25,000 with a diverse population.  The Museum’s collection reflects the community’s rich history of nearly 175 years, helping to make meaningful connections between past and present.