A tribute to one of the most famous and prolific writers ever to have emerged from the United States, the Ernest Hemingway Museum and House is a place of pilgrimage for literary aficionados from across the globe. The site comprises two different buildings, both situated only a short distance from each other in the Oak Park neighbourhood just to the west of the downtown Loop.
When you pay a visit, head first for the museum situated within the Oak Park Arts Center. Here you can find out more about the life of Ernest Hemingway himself, whose books have been read and loved by millions all over the globe, and whose work earned him the 1954 Nobel Prize for Literature.
Delve into his early years by looking at his childhood diary as well as rare childhood photographs. You will also be able to see a break-up note written to the young Hemingway by his first love, the nurse Agnes von Kurowsky.
You’ll also have the chance to take a look at some of his early writing, which shows from a tender age traces of the blunt, concise style of writing that would make his work famous and immediately recognisable to readers everywhere. Finish your tour of the Museum with a visit to the gift shop where you’ll find posters and souvenirs on sale as well as many of Hemingway’s classic novels.
Only a brief walk away from the museum is the beautiful house where Hemingway was born back in 1899, and where he spent his early years. The grand Victorian style which characterises many of the homes in the neighbourhood is very much on show here in the house which was built by Hemingway’s grandparents and has been restored to its original condition. The house is in stark contrast to the early 20th century homes designed by another Oak Park local, the architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
At both buildings, you can enjoy a guided tour lasting one to two hours. Tours are given by Museum staff well versed in Hemingway’s life and work. Groups of more than ten people must book ahead online or by phone.
