Evanston Historical Society

Purpose: Sustaining Cultural Heritage The Evanston Historical Society (EHS) is the only museum in Evanston, Illinois, created specifically to collect and interpret the city's material culture and history. Since its inception in 1989, the society has built a strong collection that provides a deeper understanding of local history for the people who live in Evanston. The board and staff of the museum addressed pressing space issues and supported ambitious programming initiatives with a new research room and a new, separate permanent gallery, which were included in the strategic plan. The museum has completed the research room and costume gallery and is ready to design and install a permanent exhibition on the history of Evanston. The exhibit will provide visitors with an interactive multimedia experience. Over a 10-month period, the historical society will work with an exhibition designer, who will provide guidance, advice, and design work on matters relating to museum planning, exhibition development, and exhibit design. The fabrication and construction of the exhibit will be done onsite by local contractors, supervised by EHS staff and the exhibit designer.