New museum to open in restored mansion

A Chicago mansion built in 1880s has been restored to its original grandeur and next month will be reopened as the Richard H. Driehaus Museum.

The museum will be housed in the Nickerson Mansion, built by Samuel Nickerson, who made his fortune in the late 19th Century liquor trade.

Nickerson built his mansion to be fire-proof after losing an early business to fire. The building is faced with marble that was cleaned of soot. The house also features a stained-glass dome and ornate woodwork, all of it carefully cleaned, and in some cases, replicated by restorers.

Chicago investment manager Richard Driehaus bought the mansion in 2003.

The three-floor, 24,000-square-foot mansion will house items selected from Driehaus' personal collection that fit the Gilded Age decor. That includes several Tiffany lamps and light fixtures, sculptures and Victorian portraits.