Itineraries - Heritage and Culture Tour
Chicago's North Shore is alive with history and culture! Take some time to explore some of the area's oldest communities, many dating back to the mid-1800s. You'll also find a number of cultural attractions unique to the region and in some cases the Western Hemisphere! Perfect for families, individuals and groups.

Skokie Heritage Museum
8031 Floral Ave.
Skokie, IL 60077
847-677-6672
Start your journey with a visit to the Historic Engine House and original (1847) Log Cabin. Learn about Skokie's unusual heritage through a variety of local and seasonal exhibits. You can also check out a special firefighting exhibit that honors the museum building's original role as a firehouse. The display depicts the history of firefighting and highlights significant fires around the world, complete with three historically accurate fire engines, fire gear, artifacts, archives and text.

Holocaust Memorial Foundation of Illinois
4225 Main St.
Skokie, IL 60076
847-677-4640
This museum presents the history and lessons of the Holocaust with dignity and respect. The permanent exhibit "Voices Still Heard" presents a chronological sequence of the Holocaust with eyewitness accounts and artifacts. You'll also find a display of contemporary artwork depicting Holocaust themes and a Room of Remembrance, which includes a listing of 3,000 Jewish Holocaust victims related to Chicago area families. Year-round educational programs and classes are offered. In spring of 2008, the museum will expand into a new 64,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility.

Evanston Historical Society
225 Greenwood Street
Evanston, IL 60201
847-475-3410
Continue your tour in Evanston, where a variety of unique people, landmarks, and social movements have shaped the city just north of Chicago. The Evanston Historical Society operates out of the mansion of former U.S. Vice President Charles Gates Dawes. This chateau-like landmark, dating back to 1894, fills three-and-a-half stories and two lakeshore acres. Visitors will find rooms restored to their 1920s splendor, as well as exhibits focusing on Evanston history. Current exhibitions include a display of stained glass windows from the State National Bank, and a story about life during the American Civil War, both on the battlefield and at home in Evanston.

Frances Willard House
1730 Chicago Ave.
Evanston, IL 60201
847-328-7500
One of the most prominent social reformers in 19th century America, Frances Willard lived and worked in Evanston from 1865-1898. Her Evanston home served as her primary workplace while she was President of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU), as well as an informal national headquarters for the organization and a boarding house for volunteers working on women's, education and labor reforms. The Frances Willard House tells the story of Frances' life and work, and provides a unique glimpse into the life of one of the most prominent women of her time. Regular tours are held the first and third Sunday of every month from 1:00-4:00 p.m., and special tours can be arranged.

Mary & Leigh Block Museum of Art
40 Arts Circle Dr.
Evanston, IL 60208
847-467-4602
The Block Museum at Northwestern University is a national leader among college museums for critical and creative approaches to visual arts. You'll find a wide variety of reproducible art forms such as prints, photographs, film, video and computer-mediated art. The museum is noted in the Chicagoland area for its unique focus, as well as its outdoor Sculpture Garden. You can also catch a lecture, take part in an artist or scholar workshop, and screen classic and contemporary films at Block Cinema. Admission to the museum itself is free.

Bahai House of Worship
100 Linden Ave.
Wilmette, IL 60091
847-853-2325
One of only seven Bahai temples in the world - and the only one in the Western Hemisphere, the Bahau House of Worship is an awe-inspiring attraction. More than five million people have been drawn by its striking architecture and beautiful gardens. Guests are welcome to marvel at the auditorium's 135-foot-high lattice dome and to explore the peaceful environment. Free tours from temple members are available to anyone who inquires, and there's also a visitor center that explains the Bahá'í faith. A quiet serenity surrounds this landmark.

Wilmette Historical Museum
609 Ridge Rd.
Wilmette, IL 60091
847-853-7666
Artifacts ranging from the rather ridiculous (a stuffed parrot) to the sublime (art glass made in town) all help demonstrate the unique character of this North Shore community. Housed in the lovingly restored 1896 Village Hall, the Wilmette Historical Museum tells the stories of the Ouilmettes (from whom the Village got its name), the controversial saloons of old Gross Point, the terrifying Palm Sunday Tornado of 1920, the long battle over "No Man's Land," and the origin of Wilmette's miles of brick streets. Take advantage of a number of tours - both of the museum itself and walking tours of local landmarks.

Mitchell Museum of the American Indian
2600 Central Park Rd.
Evanston, IL 60201
847-475-1030
Conclude your itinerary at the only museum in the Chicago area focusing exclusively on the history, culture and arts of North American natives. You'll find over 9,000 objects dating from the Paleo-Indian period to present day, including a full-size birch bark canoe, a rare 19th century velvet patchwork shirt, an eagle feather war bonnet, several thousand-year-old Anasazi bowls, and pairs of snow goggles made from caribou hoof, bone and wood. Each permanent gallery features a "touching table" where visitors can handle real examples of Indian artifacts and raw materials like snakeskin, caribou fur, and turquoise. There also are two changing galleries that feature special exhibits.

Request for Proposal
Chicago's North Shore Convention and Visitors Bureau provides group tour planners with "Request for Proposal" assistance. Simply fill out the required information below. Blue text indicates required information.