Elmhurst History Museum celebrates 60 years
In the third floor attic of an Elmhurst landmark known as the Glos Mansion, located just across from the train tracks, history was made on Jan. 13, 1957.
To be specific, a new history museum was born.
Starting with just 300 artifacts and drawing 500 visitors in its first six months of operation, what then was known as the Elmhurst Historical Museum began with a rather quiet entry as a city of Elmhurst department charged with recording the town's history and keeping its records.
Fast forward 60 years, and the Elmhurst History Museum, as it was renamed in 2016, now spans two floors of the Glos Mansion and has evolved into an award-winning regional history museum.
Today that museum presents an ever-changing array of innovative and interactive exhibits, cares for more than 10,000 items in its collection, and serves more than 10,000 patrons annually from the Chicago area and across the U.S.
Much has changed in 60 years, and - just in time for its anniversary - the museum recently completed a number of improvements to put a fresh face on the interior of the Glos Mansion and enhance the visitor experience, including: fresh paint throughout, better lighting in the lobby and stairwell, a new digital greeting monitor, an electronic registry, and updated gift shop and merchandise.
In addition, two key features were added to expand the museum's "By All Accounts: The Story of Elmhurst" exhibit on Elmhurst history that covers the second floor of the Glos Mansion.
In November, a new section depicting the history of Elmhurst veterans was added featuring photos and rare artifacts from the museum's collection.
And in December, the museum unveiled a new display in the second floor hallway that shares the story of the Glos family and the home's history.
A department of the city of Elmhurst, the Elmhurst History Museum, located at 120 E. Park Ave. in downtown Elmhurst, is supported by the Elmhurst Heritage Foundation. General admission is free with fees for select programs.
For more information, call (630) 833-1457 or visit www.elmhursthistory.org.