The Museum has extensive research materials, including maps, documents, archival collections, newspapers, photographs and reference works, that are available for research on the history of a family, a home and the villages of Wilmette and Gross Point. An appointment is not necessary to use these materials. However, if you have a scholarly or complex topic, a phone call or email in advance to the staff will save time.

Museum Store: Need the perfect going away gift for a friend who's leaving Wilmette? You've found just the place! Anyone who loves the old village will enjoy these items, which range from books to notecards to coffee mugs to crystal. We've even got a Wilmette teddy bear. Members of the Historical Society receive a 10% discount on all items, except the book, Wilmette: A History. For information about obtaining any of the items listed on this page, please stop by the Museum or contact us by post or email.

Facility Rental: The museum's multi-purpose room and conference room on the 2nd floor are available to local, non-profit groups. Please call or email us for further information.

Our website is a good place to begin finding out more about both the Museum and this area's past. You can learn more about our programs, collections and exhibits. Here, too, you can find out about how to research local homes, families, and history.

The Wilmette Historical Museum is dedicated to encouraging the appreciation of Wilmette's past. By exploring, preserving, and sharing the history of Wilmette and the surrounding area, the Museum seeks to find and tell our community's stories, and to connect those stories to the wider contexts of Chicago, Illinois, and American history. The Museum is operated by the Wilmette Historical Society, a volunteer organization devoted to promoting local history, and by the Village of Wilmette.

Established by the Village of Wilmette in 1951, the Museum was first located in the basement of the Village Hall. The exhibits included a wide variety of materials—ranging from an Egyptian mummy's foot to an elm tree slab to Indian arrowheads—some of which had little to do with the history of Wilmette. The Museum remained in the Village Hall for about 17 years, until 1968. It was open the first Sunday of each month and was completely staffed by volunteers.