With more than 50,000 costume and textile artifacts, the Chicago History Museum’s collection is one of the nation’s premier clothing and fashion collections. The collection spans the breadth of Chicago's history and is particularly strong in materials from the late 19th century to the present. The Museum’s collection, different from other fashion collections in the country, uses clothing as a powerful lens for understanding the city’s social history and communicating these stories to visitors.

FEATURED DESIGNERS

GARMENTS BY YEAR

EXHIBITIONS

OBJECT TYPES

TOPICS and THEMES

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Collection Information

Find out more about CHM's costume and textiles collection.

Research Guide

Learn about CHM's library and manuscript materials related to clothing and dress, costume, fashion, and more.

Contact Us

Questions about the costume and textiles collection? Fill out our object research inquiry form.

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