Chicago's Polish American Museum: A Place for Art, Music and Research.
Published: Oct 12, 2009
Chicago, city officials boast, is one of the largest Polish cities outside of Poland. With more than 1 million people of Polish ethnicity, the city is rich with Polish culture.
The city is also home to the largest and oldest museum dedicated to the nation's Polish population. Founded in 1935, the Polish American Museum houses permanent collections of paintings and sculpture, a vast library dedicated to Polish writings and it is a major center for genealogy research.
Musical performances, lectures and theater pertaining to the Polish culture are also a staple of the museum. The extensive library--the largest outside of Poland, houses 60,000 volumes, 250 periodicals and a vast collection of Polish music records and cassettes.
Whether you're Polish or not, the museum makes for a worthwhile visit. Its art collection is vast and the museum hosts several special exhibits yearly. Far from the often crowded city's museum campus, the Polish American Museum offers a beautiful interior and a relaxing atmosphere.
In addition to its collection and library, the museum operates a very good gift shop where a wide range of Polish items--from books to recordings to clothing to artifacts--can be purchased.
Admission to the museum is reasonable and the staff is incredibly knowledgeable and friendly. If you've the time, you may want to plan an all things Polish day that includes visiting a Polish neighborhood, grocery store and ending up at a traditional Polish restaurant.
The staff will give you directions to such an adventure. And if you want to see what the annual Polish Film Festival and other city celebrations, the museum's website posts a well-researched calendar of events both within the museum and throughout Chicago.
- by Lori Rotenberk , Chicago Reporter for HelloMetro
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