Chicago: Home of House at Navy Pier

May 1 – December 16, 2024

This exhibition is being presented at Navy Pier (600 E Grand Ave, between doors 5 and 6) in partnership The Vintage House Show Collective.

Chicago is the birthplace of House music. House evolved through the early 1980s and brought together Chicagoans of different races, ages, cultures, and orientations like no other medium of that day. House music was conceived and perfected in bedrooms and basements of Black and Latino youth on Chicago’s South and West Sides. Legendary DJs including Frankie Knuckles, Ron Hardy, and The Hot Mix 5 infused disco, R&B, punk, rock, and electronica to inspire teen DJ crews, the fashion industry, and creatives throughout Chicago, and ultimately the world.

The energy, the music, and the dance built the foundation that became Chicago House culture. This culture influenced Detroit techno, top pop and rock acts, and electronic dance music (EDM) — presently a billion dollar industry. House music, once a local invention, is now an international movement.

Preserving and celebrating this dynamic music genre is paramount in illuminating Chicago’s contributions to American history. House music producers, promoters, dancers, and DJs are a manifestation of modern day griots. These legends are models of excellence, canon makers, and time-binders standing between tradition and future.

Photography by Daniel Chiang.

Building upon the foundation laid by the groundbreaking Move Your Body: The Evolution of HOUSE Music exhibit in 2015 at the Chicago Cultural Center, originally compiled by a diverse group of curators including Rob McKay, Chicago: Home of House promises to immerse audiences in a visual journey through the timeline-based history of this iconic genre known as one of Chicago’s most unifying contemporary cultural exports.

This iteration of Chicago: Home of House was curated by Lauren Lowery, Lori Branch, Kevin McFall and Rob McKay, with Tanner Woodford, Kevin Reader and Haoyu Lu. The Navy Pier presentation is organized by Erika Taylor VP, Arts, Culture & Engagement and Roselle Allen.

Admission to Chicago: Home of House is free courtesy of Navy Pier.

The Design Museum of Chicago is partially supported by grants from the Illinois Arts Council Agency, City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), Terra Foundation for American Art, and Truettner Foundation.

The curators thank The House Music Community, WNUR.org 89.3FM, The Silver Room, Connect Gallery, XVP Studios, One Design Company, and Navy Pier.

Chicago: Home of House is a living timeline honoring the contributions of pioneers both past and present. The Chicago Home of House team welcomes new content from visitors and those that love and respect the culture. Please access ChicagoHomeofHouse.Info to add your story and VintageHouseShow.tv to listen to exclusive interviews and special moments with the pioneers.