Focus your gaze on this building. The National Public Housing Museum stands here. It is a testament to stories often unheard. The National Public Housing Museum is the first cultural institution in the U.S. dedicated to interpreting the American experience in public housing.
This museum is not just a building. It’s a doorway to understanding the right of all people to a place they can call home. The National Public Housing Museum’s permanent home is under construction. It stands on the West Side in the last remaining building of the Jane Addams Homes. The opening is planned for early 2025.
Imagine this place filled with history. Hear the echoes of memories and music. See the art that reflects lives lived here. The National Public Housing Museum will be a dynamic community gathering place.
The movement to preserve this building began in the 1990s. The Chicago Housing Authority planned to demolish 17000 units of public housing. They wanted to replace them with mixed-income housing. Residents like Deverra Beverly fought back. She was a former commissioner for the Chicago Housing Authority. Beverly led the charge to create a memorial to their presence.
Sunny Fischer, a philanthropy professional joined her. Fischer was also a former public housing resident. Together with civic leaders, they formed a group. Preservationists, historians, and cultural experts joined them. They wanted to recognize this important historic site.
The group preserved and transformed the current site. The original design came from a team of architects led by John Holabird. The National Public Housing Museum committed to uplifting the voices of public housing residents. Public housing residents make up about a third of its board.
The mission is to promote, interpret, and propel housing as a human right. The museum focuses on oral history. It uses storytelling and community development. The exhibitions include an archive of oral histories. These are from public housing residents. There are three restored apartments. Each apartment represents a different family. One is Russian Jewish. Another is Italian-American. The third is African American.
These recreations are based on oral histories. Hear the stories of Inez Medor and members of the Rizzi family. Listen to the tales of Marshall Hatch. The museum will also include a community space. This is for discussion and interpretation.
Before the museum opened, it served as a “museum in the streets.” They hosted neighborhood storytelling and poetry readings. They organized beautification projects at the site. They held panels across the country. The National Public Housing Museum partnered with Oral History Summer School. Together they trained activists, organizers, students, and artists. They learned to collect and use oral history. This expanded the museum’s archival collection.
The National Public Housing Museum drew inspiration from other museums. They looked at the Apartheid Museum and the District Six Museum. The Tenement Museum and the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum also served as examples.
The National Public Housing Museum has also designed the Corner Store Co-op. It will function as a unique Museum Store. The museum store follows the model of historic cooperatives in Public Housing. It will be a collective of current and former public housing residents. These residents will develop and curate the Corner Store. It will feature entrepreneurs and creators connected to public housing. They will showcase past and current residents, advocates, and supporters. The Corner Store is not only a place for retail. It’s a place for convening in community. It is a resource for sharing knowledge, history, and skills.
Civic Projects engaged with the Corner Store Co-op working group. They discussed these goals and ideals. They explored how that manifests in a physical space. They shared research of other museum stores. They studied communal retail spaces, and actual corner stores. The final design came after reviewing this research. The working group determined the vision and direction for the store. It is a place to display products, history, and the stories of the makers.
The National Public Housing Museum stands as a beacon. It champions housing as a fundamental human right. It is a space for reflection, learning, and community. It ensures these stories are never forgotten.