Elmhurst History Museum Wins 2020 Award of Excellence for

ELMHURST, IL—The American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) recently announced that the Elmhurst History Museum is the recipient of an Award of Excellence for the 2019 exhibit, “Worlds of Wonder: Remembering Chicagoland’s Amusement Parks.” The AASLH Leadership in History Awards, now in its 75th year, is the most prestigious recognition for achievement in the preservation and interpretation of state and local history.

Dave Oberg, executive director of the Elmhurst History Museum, was beyond thrilled to hear about the AASLH award. “We could all use some positive news right now, so this announcement was a real shot in the arm for our team,” Oberg said. “We are humbled and deeply honored to receive it. The AASLH Award of Excellence is one of the nation's most prestigious honors in the museum world, so this is a big deal to a small regional museum like ours, because the bar is so high among our peers.”

“This award underscores all of the hard work that our team put into this popular exhibit that had broad appeal to many in the Chicago area,” Oberg continued. “The reviewers were deeply impressed with the design and content of the exhibition as well as the innovative supporting programs that made this such a successful show. I know that we have an extremely talented staff, but the AASLH award confirms that our team’s creativity, professionalism and effort on the exhibit was top notch on a national level. I am as proud as can be of this achievement for our well-deserving staff.”

The “Worlds of Wonder” exhibit took visitors on a nostalgic journey that recalled some of Chicago’s beloved amusement parks of the past, from the World’s Columbian Exposition to more modern venues like Riverview, Kiddieland, Dispensa’s Kiddie Kingdom, Santa’s Village, and more. The exhibit was presented in May through September of 2019, and it drew record crowds to the museum’s galleries and events.

This year, the AASLH conferred 57 national awards honoring people, projects, exhibits, and publications. The winners represent the best in the field and provide leadership for the future of state and local history. The AASLH Leadership in History awards program was initiated in 1945 to establish and encourage standards of excellence in the collection, preservation, and interpretation of state and local history throughout the U.S.

The award-winning Elmhurst History Museum team is not resting on these laurels as they are hard at work preparing for the possibility of reopening in June when the 2020 summer exhibit, “The Great Midwestern Road Trip,” debuts. For more information about the museum and the exhibit, please visit www.elmhursthistory.org or call 630-833-1457.