History, Arts & Culture
The West Chicago City Museum is a dynamic history and art center that inspires and involves the community through research, programs and exhibits. It was established as a department of the City of West Chicago in 1975. Its function is to collect, preserve, exhibit, and interpret materials that document the history of West Chicago and the surrounding region. The Museum is housed in the former Turner Town Hall, a National Register site. The building was constructed in 1884 and served as the seat of local government for more than 90 years. The Town Hall also housed the community's police and fire departments and served as a site for cultural events.
Today, the building houses two floors of exhibits relating to West Chicago's rich history. Special events throughout the year celebrate that history.
A creative movement which has grown quietly, yet steadily, is reaching something of a crescendo in West Chicago, Illinois. Combining talent, enthusiasm and government partnership, the arts (and the artists) are shaping the community’s image and confirming its reputation as an arts friendly community.
Public art displays that engage area artists like the annual Community Banner Art Exhibit on Main Street, or the City-owned buildings turned art galleries at 103 W. Washington Street and 200 Main Street, have become catalysts for downtown revitalization and the creative talent pool that resides here. Through visionary leadership, West Chicago has embraced the concept of community sustainability through the arts.
West Chicago’s active Cultural Arts Commission is comprised of nine member volunteers who meet monthly to plan programs, special events, and art installations that enrich the lives of all West Chicago residents and provide opportunities for creative expression.
The development of a Public Art Master Plan is a major initiative of this Commission currently. West Chicago is proud of its existing public art collection, which serves to beautify the community and inspire its imagination. The Master Plan will provide a roadmap for future installations that tell the community’s many stories, document the past and present and create a sense of place that is uniquely West Chicago.