After touring the Frank Lloyd Wright home and studio in the morning, we walked over to the Hemingway birthplace home. Sue led our 6 person group. She was enthusiastic and was an encyclopedia of knowledge on the house and Hemingway. She really enjoyed giving the tours. We also visited the Hemingway museum down the street that had great exhibits.
This a small museum with many artifacts from Hemmingway's boyhood in Oak Park. The boyhood home of H. Is nearby ( a few blocks walk) and should be visited in conjunction with the museum.If you are not an H. afficionado a more fascinating visit and tour awaits you at the Frank Lloyd Wright house about half a mile away.
The museum is devoted to Hemingway's life, starting with his birth in an Oak Park home, right down the street from the museum. The museum is fairly small, which I liked, it is not overwhelming. The displays gave information about his childhood, his life in Oak Park, as a journalist in WWII, and his books. We enjoyed going to the tour of his birthplace which is included in the cost of the museum ticket. It was a nice way to spend a couple of hours in Oak Park a nice community with loads to see. We had lunch at My Mother's Kitchen at North Avenue and Oak Park Avenue - it was very good soul food.
Very informative overview of the author"s life. Museum is nicely displayed and offers a variety of learning mediums. The entry price is steep, but we were lucky to get there during free visit Tuesday. Check before going as that may be only offered in the winter. The birthplace home is very close by. Guided tours only and ours was knowledgable and entertaining. Most of the items in the home are reproductions or gifts from the Hemingway family but not original to he home. However, he home has been very well restored following interior photographs of the home by Hemingway's father.
This is a very nice museum and easily done in about an hour. Hemingway memorabilia have been displayed nicely. Do allow more time in order to walk down the street to Hemingway's boyhood home. Tours are given of the home and you certainly get a great deal of information about Hemingway as a young boy. Unfortunately when I was there a class of young children was involved in doing some type of project and the area in which they were doing this was not really separated from the museum. I am not sure anything can be done about this, but it did create a rather zoo-like atmosphere.
The Hemingway Museum is a tremendous experience! It covers Mr. Hemingway's life from childhood to his death. It provides and great insight to the author's time, his relationships and the events that impacted him. This is a great place not only for adults but young adults as well. A minimum of two hours is really not enough time to go through the museum. It is full of information and photographs. A great way to spend a few hours and learn about this man and his world!
Always good to see where the great writers originated from and and what inspired them. This tour of museum and house was very interesting especially for Hemingway fans and only a short ride from Down town Chicago.Visit was made interesting by some very knowledgable volunteers who showed great personal enthusiasm.
If you are a Hemingway’s fan this is a perfect place. The museum and the birthplace are in Oak Park, a beautiful suburb bordering the west side of Chicago.The museum is very quiet and features rare photos of Hemingway, his childhood diary, letters, early writings and other memorabilia. There is also a store.Near there is the Hemingway's birthplace and it is open for guided tours. The house tour is very interesting and provides lots of information on the early life of the writer and his family.In Oak Park you can also visit the Frank Lloyd Wright home and studio.
Ernest Hemingway is my favorite author, so I have wanted to come here for years, it was so much better than I imagined. I first visited the Birthplace, which is like many other Victorian houses, with a stunning interior. I love hearing the stories of the family. Didn't learn too much since I am literally a Hemingway expert, but to be at his birthplace was awesome. Later after eating at the Hemmingway Bistro, I visited the Museum. It had fascinating exhibits and cool artifacts, I spent about 2 hours in the one room museum. The lady at the front desk was very interesting, and was as interested in Hemingway as I was. Also across the street is a National Register historic site, Scoville Park with an old World War I Monument, Hemingway was in WWI so his name is on the monument. Also a few blocks away from the Birthplace is his Boyhood Home (he lived in the birthplace home until age 6), which is marked by a historical marker. That house is a private residence. Across the street from it is a Frank Lloyd Wright house, that is something you can find in Oak Park. Do not skip this if visiting Chicago!
While in Key West with my family we toured Hemingway's house. The lines were very long and the crowds inside took a lot away from the experience. My son asked me where he was born and after a quick google search I learned he was born less than 30 miles from our home! Well we made the trip to his birthplace and learned of a museum dedicated to Hemmingway just down the street. Both are a must for fans! A real treasure in Chicago that is perfect for fans, aspiring writers looking for inspiration. We loved it! Especially the birthplace tour. Make this trip if you are in Chicago!!