WAUKEGAN HISTORY MUSEUM AT THE CARNEGIE

1 North Sheridan Road, Waukegan, IL 60085

The Waukegan History Museum at the Carnegie is located in the heart of downtown overlooking Lake Michigan. Built in 1903 as Waukegan’s first public library, this magnificent historic landmark has been beautifully restored. The new museum’s permanent exhibit The Waukegan Chronicles, highlights Waukegan’s history from the ice age through the 21st century. Also on permanent display is the personal book collection of world-renowned author and Waukegan-native Ray Bradbury. The museum features rotating temporary exhibits and hosts a variety of educational programs throughout the year for visitors of all ages.

HOURS OF OPERATION (Starting May 7, 2025)

Wednesday - Friday 11am-4pm

Saturday 11am-3pm

ADMISSION Resident Non-Resident

Adult $6 $10

Senior (60+)/Military $6 $6

Youth (6-17) $3 $6

Under 6 Free Free

His. Society Members Free Free

Exhibits, Bradbury Library & Archives

Exhibits

The Waukegan Chronicles exhibit highlights Waukegan’s rich history; through stories of the land, our diverse community, and the industry, environment, and entertainment that helped shape the City. The exhibit is accessible in both English and Spanish text.

Bradbury Library

The Ray Bradbury Library is housed in the historic children’s reading room at the Carnegie. The room was restored to its original appearance. Ray Bradbury spent many hours in this room as a child growing up in Waukegan, nurturing his love for stories and books. His personal book collection is on display in bookcases handmade locally. Visitors may view the room during open hours. Research in the Bradbury Collection is by appointment only.

Research Archives

The Waukegan Historical Society’s collections are housed in the Waukegan History Museum at the Carnegie. The Research Archives prides itself on its extensive archival collections related to Waukegan history, including but not limited to photographs, scrapbooks, city directories, high school yearbooks, and postcards.

THE story of the restoration and adaptive reuse project of the waukegan history museum at the carnegie

Around 2007, the Society held a series of strategic planning meetings to plan how the Society would move forward into the future. It became evident in these discussions that we had run out of space in the current Waukegan History Museum and Library and we needed more space for exhibits, secure storage for artifacts, and more accessibility and space for the Library. Working with our long-term partner, the Waukegan Park District, we developed a plan, hired architects and began fundraising for an addition to the existing Haines House Museum in Bowen Park.

In 2018, Historical Society board members Harry Came and Lori Nerheim, and Ty Rohrer - Manager of Cultural Arts for the District, began quiet discussions with a charitable foundation about the Carnegie Library building on Sheridan Road, then owned by the City of Waukegan. The building is an official Waukegan Landmark structure, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is an iconic downtown building which has been empty and neglected for more than 50 years. This building housed the library where Ray Bradbury, the famous author and Waukegan native, spent his childhood. Bradbury referred often to this building, and the children's reading room in particular, as being instrumental in his development as a writer.

In 2019, a feasibility study was completed by Harboe Architects, one of the most well recognized preservation architectural firms in the country, costing $85,000, entirely funded by a grant from a private charitable foundation. This study concluded that the building, once restored, would provide all of the uses proposed by the Society and District.

At the end of October 2019, we received word that all of our hard work had resulted in an additional grant of five million dollars from the private foundation for the restoration of the Carnegie Library Building. This money, money from the Society fundraising, other grants and gifts, as well as a commitment from the District to contribute to the project over five years has made the project a reality.

On December 10, 2019, a unanimous vote was taken by the Park District Board of Commissioners to take control of the Carnegie building as soon as specific conditions had been met with the City. The building was officially transferred to the Park District on August 13, 2020. Soon after, preservation architect Gunny Harboe of Harboe Architects and his team, working closely with the Society and District, began the process of delving into the schematic design phase of the project. The schematic design phase was completed in April 2021 with the design development completed by December 2021. After a 2-1/2 year process, in January 2022 the purchase of three small parcels to the north was completed to allow for an accessibility entrance and parking. The construction documents were finalized in June 2022 and bids were awarded by September 2022. Berglund Construction managed the construction effort in collaboration with the project team. The Society and District were thrilled to break ground on their joint endeavor on October 18, 2022.

The Waukegan History Museum at the Carnegie opens to the public on May 1, 2025