The Chicago History Museum of the South, a state-owned and operated institution in Chicago, is celebrating its centennial this year with a free, free admission day.
The museum, which opened in 1901, was a showcase for African-American artists, writers and socialites and featured an array of exhibits that included a gallery showcasing black life in the South and a free reading room for children.
On Saturday, visitors can enjoy the exhibition space at the museum and other public spaces.
The free day is from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Chicago State Museum.
The exhibition space is on the first floor of the building, which is located at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Wisconsin Avenue.
The museum is a major landmark in the city’s historic core, a collection of buildings that includes the Chicago Public Library, the United States Courthouse and the United Nations.
The exhibit space features a variety of works of African- American art and the building’s namesake, the first African-Americans to be admitted to the United State Senate.
The building was built by the family of the late Abraham Lincoln, who served as Illinois’ governor from 1845 to 1862.
The city is celebrating the museum’s centennial with a “walk and talk” event starting at noon Friday at the Tenessee State Historical Park.