Chicagoist Tour: The Richard H. Driehaus Museum

By Ali Trachta in Arts & Entertainment on Feb 16, 2009 8:00PM

While most museums permit visitors to be mere observers, allowed only a distant look at displaced artifacts inside glass cases against stark white walls, the recently-opened Driehaus Museum in the River North/Gold Coast invites those that come by to venture inside the colorful life of a prominent household from Chicago’s Gilded Age.

The Richard H. Driehaus Museum is housed inside the 25,000 square foot mansion that was once home to liquor and banking magnate Samuel L. Nickerson. Built between 1879 and 1883 and costing $450,000 to construct, a jaw-dropping amount for the time, the Burling and Whitehouse-designed structure became known locally as “The Marble Palace,” and as the largest residence in Chicago at the time of its completion, played host to many parties and social gatherings thrown by the wealthy Nickerson family.

In 1900, Lucius George Fisher, President of the Union Bag and Paper Company, purchased the mansion and lived there until 1919, when the home was bought by 100 wealthy Chicagoans and donated to the American College of Surgeons. For decades the mansion was used as office space for this group until 2003, when Chicago philanthropist and preservationist Richard H. Driehaus purchased it to convert into a museum that would showcase his extraordinary collection of paintings and decorative art.

The Nickerson house underwent a massive five-year restoration, bringing back to life as much original beauty as possible, making it the perfect backdrop for Driehaus’ historic collection. The museum opened for touring in June 2008.

You will find when viewing the mansion that each of the rooms, with their masterfully-crafted wood detailing, handmade wall coverings and ornate furnishings, seem more elaborately decorated than the next. Highlights on the tour include the Main Hall (pictured above), with its floor-to-ceiling marble paneling, the Sculpture Room, featuring a grandiose fireplace decorated with images of wild animals and crowned with a massive stained glass dome (pictured below), and the Nickerson family’s exquisitely-decorated private bedrooms, one of which features historical photos of the house.

The Richard H. Driehaus Museum is located at 40 E. Erie Street. Tours cost $25 for adults and $17.50 for children and seniors, and are led on a first-come, first-served basis every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 10 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m. Groups of 8 to 10 may call ahead for reservations. For more information, call 312-932-8665, or visit the museum website.

Photos by Steve Hall of Hedrich Blessing.