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Pritzker Military Museum & Library

Museum
In Chicago, Illinois
0.1 mi from Route 66

The Pritzker Military Museum & Library is a nonprofit museum and research library devoted to military history. Its listed address is on South Michigan Avenue in Chicago, IL, across the street from the Art Institute and close to where Route 66 begins. It opened in 2003, and its special collections include material about Winston Churchill and music written during and about wartime. It suits travelers with an interest in history.

What is Pritzker Military Museum & Library?

The institution started life as the Pritzker Military Library and later added museum to its name. It is named after Jennifer N. Pritzker. At heart it is a research library for people who study military history, with exhibits alongside the book and archive collections.

Two special collections set it apart. One gathers material related to Winston Churchill, the British wartime prime minister. The other is a collection of sheet music connected with war, the songs people sang and played at home while soldiers were away. Both give a more personal view of military history than uniforms and weapons alone.

History of Pritzker Military Museum & Library

The library was established in 2003 as a nonprofit. Over the years it grew from a specialist library into a museum as well, which is reflected in its present name. Published sources also describe a newer facility in Kenosha, Wisconsin, so the location of the exhibits may have changed.

Visiting Pritzker Military Museum & Library: tips

Check the official website before you go to confirm where exhibits are on view and whether the Michigan Avenue address is still the one to use. If it is, the visit is easy to combine with other downtown stops. The Art Institute of Chicago is about 0.1 mile away, and the Chicago Design Museum and the American Writers Museum are each about 0.3 mile away. Allow an hour or so for a museum of this kind, and note that EV charging is available about half a mile away.

Practical info

Address: 104 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60603
Phone: +1 312-374-9333
Website: pritzkermilitary.org
Hours: Mon, Fri, Sat 10–4 · Tue–Thu 10–6 · Sun 12–4
On site & nearby

Sources: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Wikidata · official site — may be outdated.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

Where to eat near Pritzker Military Museum & Library

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Diner & restaurant
The Berghoff
Chicago, IL · 0.2 mi from Pritzker Military Museum & Library
A Chicago Loop restaurant dating to 1898, on Adams Street where westbound Route 66 begins.