The Driehaus Museum offers one of the best ways to experience Chicago’s Gilded Age. Located slightly outside the Magnificent Mile the museum occupies the former Samuel Nickerson Mansion, an intricately designed private residence completed in 1833. The mansion displays thousands of objects from the late nineteenth century, the museum also allows visitors to walk through the home as if they were residents, there are docents at every corner to talk you through the historic architecture, the decorative details, and the restored interiors. The result is a glimpse into a period of Chicago when it was experiencing great wealth, industrial growth, immigration, and architectural experimentation.
The mansion’s history begins with Samuel Mayo Nickerson, he was a wealthy banker and one of the founders of the First National Bank in Chicago, he resided in the home with his wife Matilda. Construction on their new home began in 1879, which was a few years after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. During this time Chicago was rebuilding quickly, and wealthy residents began using architecture to show off their success and the city’s recovery. Nickerson, who had first handedly experienced the effects of the fire on his business, wanted his home to be especially durable. The mansion was therefore constructed with all fire resistant materials and features an elaborate stone exterior.
The Nickerson mansion was designed by the architectural firm Burling and Whitehouse. Once the mansion was completed in 1883 its extravagant interior earned it the nickname “The Marble Palace.” Marble appears significantly throughout the entrance and public rooms, the carved wood, stained glass, beautiful decorative tiles, and elaborate furnishings also transformed the home into a showcase of late nineteenth century design.
The Nickerson Mansion reflects an important aspect of what the Gilded Age culture looked like. Wealthy families typically used their homes as spaces for entertaining, displaying art, and showing off their social position. Each room served a very specific purpose. There were formal parlors to receive guests, dining rooms, card rooms, libraries, and private spaces intended specifically for visitors. The design of the home communicated their ideals about wealth, taste, education, and status.
The mansion was influenced by the Aesthetic Movement, which was an artistic philosophy that argued that beauty and art should be incorporated into everyday life. This is seen throughout the house, where the furniture, lighting, windows, walls, and decorative objects were all designed to contribute to a larger experience. The Nickersons collected art and objects from all around the world, reflecting the growing fascination among wealthy Americans with international art and design.
One of the most beautiful spaces in the mansion is its former art gallery. Rather than keep their collection private the Nickersons invited art students and guests into their home to view their collection. Matilda Nickerson hosted lectures and gatherings centered around art. In 1900 the couple donated most of their collection to the Art institute of Chicago.
The Nickerson family eventually left the mansion to go to Massachusetts. But the building’s history did not end with them. As Chicago continued to grow the surrounding neighborhood changed into a more commercial area. By the early twentieth century many of the city’s grand homes were being demolished or converted. The Nickerson Mansion faced an uncertain future, but in 1919 more than one hundred civic members contributed money to purchase and preserve the building. This was the first time the mansion was saved from destruction and then became connected to another important chapter in Chicago’s history: the development of modern medicine and surgery. The Chicagoans purchased the house and donated it to the newly established American College of Surgeons. The organization chose Chicago as its national headquarters. The entire house was converted into administrative space of the College. The College syed in the mansion for about 44 years, making the building important to Chicago’s medical and architectural history.
As the College grew, the Mansion was no longer large enough to accommodate all its activities. Between 1923 and 1926 the American College of Surgeons constructed the John B. Murphy Memorial Auditorium directly next door. The building provided a much larger space for lectures, meetings, and ceremonies. It was named to honor one of their founding members and leading clinical educator of his generation. The architecture itself was designed to reflect the importance of medicine. The French Renaissance style building features a limestone exterior with a monumental staircase, large windows, and enormous bronze doors produced by Tiffany Studios that depict important figures from the history of medicine.
The mansion experienced its second major revival when Chicago philanthropist Richard H. Driehaus purchased the building in 2003. Driehaus had an interest in historic architecture and decorative arts. He funded the restoration that brought together architects, conservators, craftsmen, and preservation specialists to return the building to its former grandeur. The restoration was a massive undertaking. After more than a century the exterior of the mansion accumulated soot and pollution from the industrial past. Specialists were hired to clean and repair the stone work while restoring damaged architecture. Details. The interiors were furnished with works from Driehaus’ extensive collection, including plenty of Tiffany lamps and the occasional Cassatt painting.
In 2008, the restored mansion opened to the public as the Richard H. Driehaus Museum. Driehaus envisioned the museum as a place where visitors could experience history by being immersed in it. Today the Driehaus Museum provides a physical record of Chicago during one of the most transformative periods of the city’s history.
Author Review:
I visited the Driehaus Museum on a Wednesday, which ended up being the perfect day to go because Wednesday evenings are pay what you wish, perfect for the typical college students. From DePaul’s Lincoln Park Campus, it is about a 25-30 minute trip by train walking and waiting included. When I first entered I was surprised to see how many events and programs the museum hosts. They offer concerts, performances, lectures, and tours throughout the year, so there is much more to the museum than just walking through the house.
I started by going through the floors of the Nickerson Mansion, which was my favorite part of the visit. Walking through each room gave me the opportunity to see the incredible architecture and decorative details of the Gilded Age up close. There was so much to see. I especially enjoyed being able to learn about the history of the Nickerson family.
After going through the initial mansion, we explored one of the museum’s rotating exhibitions on political cartoons. The exhibit is housed inside the Nickerson’s former bedrooms. I liked that the museum combined the historic house with changing exhibits, because it will give you a different experience every time. Then I finished the visit in the Murphy Auditorium.
The Driehaus Museum felt more than just a historic house. You get the architecture and history of the Nickersons, the permanent collections, the rotating exhibitions, and the history behind the American College of Surgeons. It is definitely worth checking out because there is so much to discover and there is something for every interest.
About the Author
Hello, my name is Simone Graczyk and I am originally from Denver, Colorado. I am currently pursuing a BA in Music with a concentration in Flute. I love going to concerts, reading, and traveling!
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