DRIEHAUS MUSEUM TO RESTORE AND REVITALIZE THE HISTORIC MURPHY AUDITORIUM

CHICAGO, May 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Starting June 2023, the Richard H. Driehaus Museum will begin renovation work on the John B. Murphy Memorial Auditorium at 50 E. Erie, an important part of the museum campus. Upon completion in February 2024, this new project will renew 32,000 square feet of former office space to create a dynamic new Learning Center with art and maker studios, a study center with classrooms, a library and archive, redesigned office spaces, seminar rooms, and an 800-square foot outdoor terrace on the top floor.

The magnificent design of the main auditorium space on the ground floor is being restored and enhanced. The opening will present a full suite of new programming tied to the Driehaus Museum’s strategic vision, along with a range of activities and events, both public and private, for the community. This renovation is in line with the Museum’s strategic plan to be a more active and visible part of our community.

According to Interim Driehaus Executive Director Lisa Key, “It is thrilling for us to embark upon this important renovation which will create a new Museum campus, offering visitors not only an incredible museum of art, architecture, and design, but now a newly rejuvenated auditorium that will add a vital and dynamic public space to the cultural campus in Chicago that will continue to increase the historical profile of this great city of architecture.”

The Museum will remain open during renovations, and the Murphy’s historic exterior will remain intact. When the Museum’s elevator will need to be closed, the Museum will make alternative arrangements for visitors who require access.

“It was a huge relief to learn about the Driehaus Museum expanding its campus into the adjacent Murphy Memorial. There are not many options for finding an appropriate re-use that would respect the historic character of such a monumentally scaled historic building while at same time providing a positive impact on the surrounding neighborhood,” said Tim Samuelson, the Cultural Historian Emeritus of the City of Chicago. “The Driehaus Museum has been a thoughtful community partner and valuable neighborhood asset for the past twenty years, and its expansion into the Murphy will make something great even greater!”

Address:
40 E. Erie
Chicago, Il 60611
www.driehausmuseum.org

For more information:
Julie Treumann, Director of Marketing and Communications
[email protected]
312-875-5909

SOURCE Richard H. Driehaus Museum