Prohibition Month
It was the era of juice joints and jazz, bootleggers and bathtub gin, turf wars and tough guys. More than a decade under the Volstead Act made Chicago famous—and infamous. Join us for a month of programs that take a closer look at Prohibition and the counterculture of the 1920s.
- New Beer’s Eve: Tuesday, April 6
- America Goes Dry: Tuesday, April 13
- Rumrunners, Moonshiners, and Bootleggers: Sunday, April 18
- Booze, Bars, and Bootlegging Pub Crawl:
Thursdays, April 22 and 29
- Gangland Chicago Bus Tour: Saturday, April 24
- Get Capone!: Tuesday, April 27
- Booze, Bars, and Bootlegging Pub Crawl: Thursday, April 29
- The Way We Drank: Tuesday, May 4
New Beer’s Eve
Tuesday, April 6, 7:00–10:00 p.m.
At the stroke of midnight on April 7, 1933,
Prohibition was history. After thirteen years as contraband,
“intoxicating liquors” were once again legal. The night before has come
to be known as New Beer’s Eve, and the Museum invites you to celebrate
this historic event.
Learn about the meaning behind New Beer's Eve, its connection to the demise of the local brewery, and its affect on the resurgence of the craft beer movement. The evening will feature beer from Stone Brewing Company—a first for the Windy City. And with the Craft Brewers Conference in town this week, look for other delicious unique craft beers included in your ticket price. A select few wine and cocktails will also be included as well as passed BBQ appetizers—a Sheffield’s specialty.
Cost:
$55, $50 Members
Location:
Sheffield’s Bar and Grill, 3258 N. Sheffield
Prohibition Seminar
Tuesdays, April 13, 27, and May 4; 7:00 p.m.
Cost: Individual events are $10, $8 Members and $15, $12 Members; Series tickets: $32, $25 Members. Call 312.642.4600 for series tickets.
America Goes Dry
Tuesday, April 13, 7:00 p.m.
The idea to control the consumption of alcohol was developing for nearly a century before passage of an amendment to the Constitution. So what went wrong? How did an idea meant to improve not just people’s lives but people themselves instead spawn an epidemic of lawlessness and violence? Curator John Russick leads this conversation that digs into the roots of Prohibition.
Cost:
$10, $8 Members
Get Capone!
Tuesday, April 27, 7:00 p.m.
Join us for the official book release party for Get Capone, the true story of the hunt for Chicago’s most infamous gangster. Author Jonathan Eig shares how he uncovered never-before-seen, top-secret documents, including some of Capone’s personal letters, and offers a stunning new theory to explain the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre.
Following the lecture, slip into our speakeasy with cash bar and enjoy a whiskey tasting with Templeton Rye Whiskey.
Cost:
$15, $12 Members
The Way We Drank
Tuesday, May 4, 7:00 p.m.
Those who did drink during Prohibition had no trouble finding what they wanted. The speakeasy changed American drinking habits, and it also permanently altered the nature of urban social life, particularly in relationships between men and women. Former New York Times public editor Dan Okrent and author of Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition, discusses this exploration of America’s wet oases during the dry years.
Cost:
$10, $8 Members
Members Exclusive: Artifacts of the Prohibition Era
Tuesdays, April 13, 27, May 4, 6:00 p.m.
Members have the exclusive opportunity to attend special collection viewings before each program in the Prohibition seminar. See rare artifacts presented by curator John Russick that explore the culture, lifestyle, and hot topics of Chicago in the 1920s.
Rumrunners, Moonshiners, and Bootleggers
Sunday, April 18, 1:30 p.m.
Revisit the rough-and-tumble days of Prohibition
with a candid look at its legacy. Filled with extraordinary tales,
rarely seen footage, and a host of captivating photos, this documentary
is an unforgettable portrait of one of the most compelling eras in our
history. Presented in collaboration with the History Channel. 100
minutes
Cost:
Free with Museum admission; reservations are requested
Booze, Bars, and Bootlegging Pub Crawl
Thursdays, April 22 and 29, 7:00 p.m.
Get a taste of speakeasies once owned,
operated, or frequented by Al Capone, Bugs Moran, John Dillinger, and
other infamous gangsters. On this trolley tour, learn how Prohibition
shaped Chicago and its image worldwide.
Cost:
$25, $20 Members
Thursday, April 22
This tour is sold out.
Thursday, April 29
This tour is sold out.
Gangland Chicago Bus Tour
Saturday, April 24, 1:00–5:00 p.m.
Find out what makes Chicago untouchable. Curator John Russick takes you on a tour of the city’s gangland past.
Cost:
$45, $40 Members