The old Nickerson residence sits at the corner of Erie and Wabash in River North’s Cathedral District, nearly hidden among the high-rise condos. Built by banker Samuel Nickerson between 1879 and 1883, the three-story stone mansion was once the biggest private home in Chicago. Investment mogul Richard Driehaus bought it in 2003, restored it, and turned it into a museum. The building now houses his art collection and preserves the a piece of the Gilded Age.
What brought you to the Driehaus Museum?
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I think we can look at a broader picture. We’re living through our iPods and through our computers, and everything is coming to us through a screen. We need to have authentic experiences where we can come and see and smell and be surrounded by the real as opposed to the virtual. I think that’s where historic house museums and art collections are so important to our world right now. The house was never meant to be a time capsule, but it helps people understand a period of time and how people were living. And Mr. Driehaus’s collection helps reinforce those themes and messages.
What are your plans in terms of programming for the museum?
Sat 5/7, 1 PM, Driehaus Museum, 25 E. Erie, 312-482-8933, ext. 21, driehausmuseum.org, $60.
