Village of Wilmette facilities, including the Museum, are temporarily closed as a precaution to reduce the risk of contagion and protect our community from COVID-19. Please explore our website to read about local history, do the kid's activities, or use the links for other research. We look forward to opening our doors and seeing you again soon!
Museum Temporarily Closed
Free Porch Portraits Offered During the Pandemic
As part of the Museum’s COVID-19 Collecting Project for Wilmette, we are offering individual or family portraits of Wilmette residents at home, in their yards. Communities around the country are documenting their towns in this way. The photos are free of charge, and will be taken outside, in front of your home or in your yard. Rhonda Holcomb, professional photographer and Wilmette resident, has generously volunteered to take these portraits (see her work at www.rhondahphoto.com). She will take the photos practicing social distance, using a long-range lens and wearing a mask as needed. Participants will receive a digital copy for their own use. If you would like to participate, please email the museum at museum@wilmette.com for more information. A photo would make a great family memento of this time in our lives and would be a contribution to the historical record.
Join Us in Documenting the Impact of COVID-19 in Wilmette
Some of the Wilmette Historical Museum’s most precious records are photographs, films, and journals from the past. As we all live through the COVID-19 outbreak, we’d like you to share your experiences with us in any media. One day, we will all use these materials to remember this important event in history. All ages are welcome and encouraged to submit material. We also encourage people from all walks of life to submit, including people still working in essential services such as healthcare workers, restaurant workers, firefighters, and police. The amount of material and length of participation is up to you. Click here for more details and a portal to upload documents.
Collections Now Online
WHM is proud to announce the launch of our online collections database! Find Collections Online under the Research & Collections tab above, or go directly to wilmettehistory.pastperfectonline.com. For the first time, almost 20,000 of our objects, photographs, and archival collections are made easy to search or browse from anywhere.Try a Keyword Search or Advanced Search if you know what you're looking for, or simply browse from all three catalogs. You can even send a link to a friend, send us feedback or request an image. We hope you enjoy exploring our collections!
Take a Self-guided Walking Tour
Looking for a bit of fresh air, exercise, history and fun? Drop by our Museum entrance to pick up our free, self-guided walking tours. You can explore the history of Ridge Road, St. Joseph Cemetery and our historic lakefront. Please remember to keep Wilmette safe by observing social distancing and wearing a face mask. And, just like when you are shopping at the grocery store, we encourage you to bring hand sanitizer to use before and after picking up the brochures. For those of you who are far away or staying inside, you can read and download our walking tours here.
