A Guide to the Ethnic Museums of Chicago

Chicago is home to some of the biggest and best museums in the nation, but many do not know about the smaller ethnic museums that Chicago is home to. The ethnic museums of Chicago reflect the diversity that the city has become known for and several hold significant collections on both a national and international level.

Here are the best of Chicago's ethnic museums.

Spertus Museum of Judaica, 618 S. Michicagn Avenue, Chicago
The Spertus Museum is conveniently located in downtown Chicago and has Chicago's largest collection of artifacts covering Jewish history. Currently the museums on site exhibitions are closed to the public while they prepare for their new site opening in the Fall of 2007, but they are still hosting off site exhibitions around the city of Chicago. Additionally the museum host educational programs that are open to the public and they have several family activities and events throughout the year.

National Museum of Mexican Art, 1852 W. 19th Street, Chicago
The National Museum of Mexican Art has recently undergone a major expansion to double the exhibit and storage space. More importantly, the museum has received accreditation and is the only one that is dedicated to Latino culture. The permanent collection boasts over 5,000 items and explores the past and present history in Mexico through art, textiles, ceramics, pottery and other items.

Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture, 6500 South Pulaski Road, Chicago
The founding of this museum by a single Chicago resident is pretty neat. Stanley Balzekas, Jr noticed the lack of a museum that preserved artifacts from Lithuania's long history so he decided to make a place of his own. What started out as a personal collection displayed next to his auto shop has turned into a major center of artifacts, publications and art that span the history of Lithuania and features present day artists. Of special interest are two collections, the huge map collection dates back to the 16th century and the coin collection is one of the largest collections of Lithuanian coins in the United States.

Irish American Heritage Center, 4626 North Knox, Chicago
The museum itself at the Irish American heritage Center is not very large but it does hold several very interesting pieces. The heritage center as a whole is important to Chicago's ethnic diversity and it has become a major center gathering place for locals and visitors. The center hosts several exhibits, performances, lectures and programs throughout the year. Additionally, the center holds a large St. Patrick's Day bash with step dancer and live bands.