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McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum

Museum
In Chicago, Illinois
0.7 mi from Route 66

The McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum has closed; it operated on North Michigan Avenue in Chicago, IL, beside the historic Tribune Tower, from 2006 to 2009. The McCormick Foundation created it as the country's first museum devoted to the First Amendment. There is nothing to tour today, but the story is a small footnote for travelers walking the Magnificent Mile before starting Route 66.

What is McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum?

The museum was an interactive space built around the freedoms protected by the First Amendment: speech, religion, the press, peaceful assembly and the right to petition the government. Its home was on the Magnificent Mile, Chicago's best-known shopping stretch of Michigan Avenue, right next to Tribune Tower.

History of McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum

The doors opened on April 11, 2006, and closed for good on March 1, 2009, a run of just under three years. When it shut, a sculpture by Amy Larimer and Peter Bernheim went into storage. Its title, 12151791, spells out December 15, 1791, the day the Bill of Rights was ratified.

The idea did not disappear entirely. A smaller traveling version, about 45 feet long and called the Freedom Express, made its first appearance at Pioneer Court in Chicago on May 27, 2010.

Visiting McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum: tips

Since the museum is closed, treat this as a spot to note while walking the avenue rather than a destination. Open museums close by include the Chicago Architecture Center about 0.2 mile away, and Nickerson House and the Driehaus Museum, both about 0.3 mile away.

Practical info

Address: 435 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611
Phone: +1 312-222-4860
Hours: Closed permanently
On site & nearby

Sources: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Wikidata · official site — may be outdated. Suggest a fix

Where to eat near McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum

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Diner & restaurant
The Berghoff
Chicago, IL · 0.8 mi from McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum
A Chicago Loop restaurant dating to 1898, on Adams Street where westbound Route 66 begins.