Originally established as the Ebony Museum of Negro History and Art in the founder's own home.
The Roundhouse building is a designated Chicago Landmark, originally constructed in 1893 for the World's Columbian Exposition.
The museum was renamed in 1968 to honor Jean Baptiste Point DuSable, the first non-indigenous permanent settler of Chicago.
It is an official affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, allowing for collaborative exhibit programming and resource sharing.
The museum archive contains original items from the Underground Railroad and significant documents from the era of Jim Crow segregation.
Dr. Margaret Taylor-Burroughs, the museum's founder, was an accomplished artist and poet who served on the Chicago Park District board.
The Harold Washington Wing was added in 1993 to increase gallery and administrative space significantly.
The DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center is the oldest non-profit museum dedicated to the collection, preservation, and study of African American history and culture. Founded by Dr. Margaret Taylor-Burroughs in 1961, it is located within Chicago's Washington Park. The facility consists of two distinct structures: the historic Roundhouse building, formerly a Chicago Park District stable, and the modern Harold Washington Wing. The museum holds over 15,000 items, including rare artifacts, books, and photographs documenting the Black experience. Permanent exhibits cover significant themes such as the Transatlantic Slave Trade, the Civil Rights Movement, and African American contributions to science and art. It serves as an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, reflecting its national significance in academic and cultural preservation. The institution also hosts rotating temporary exhibitions that feature contemporary Black artists and sociopolitical commentary.
The exterior limestone facade of the historic Roundhouse building.
Combine your visit with a walk through the surrounding Washington Park for views of historic landscape design.
Check the museum's official calendar for lecture series and artist talk events which happen frequently.
Allow extra time to examine the architectural transition between the 19th-century stable and the contemporary wing.
Do not mistake the museum for a standard gallery; it is a research and education center, so plan to read extensively rather than just viewing items.
Closed on Mondays.
Maintain a respectful volume in gallery spaces and refrain from flash photography in areas where restricted.
