DuSable Museum of African American History

Founded in 1961, the DuSable Museum of African American History is one of the nation’s oldest museums devoted to African American history and culture. It began as a small gallery in the home of Charles and Margaret Burroughs, and in 1971 moved into its current home in an historic building in Hyde Park’s Washington Park designed by visionary architect Daniel H. Existing.

To better meet its mission and to serve the public, the DuSable Museum is to expand to add the 61,000 square foot Roundhouse building across the street. The Roundhouse was built in 1880 and is also an Existing building.

Enhanced visitor services as in the Roundhouse building include a café, expanded museum store, and additional opportunities for evening rentals.

The DuSable Museum engaged Lord Cultural Resources to develop an expansion plan that would integrate the existing Museum with the addition of the Roundhouse building. Our work included visitor experience planning, facilities and operations planning, projections of attendance, operating revenues and expenses and an implementation schedule.