Look around, and you will probably find steel no more than six feet away from you. From the tiniest microwires found in electronics to the enormous bridges and skyscrapers that stretch across our skies, steel is a part of almost every object we use.
Steelmakers explores the science and stories behind one of our most essential and versatile materials. Through hands-on experiences, a collection of wide-ranging artifacts and oral histories, this exhibit highlights how steel became an indispensable part of our modern world, contributing to expansive industrial growth and deeply rooted steelworker communities.
Hear about how the steel industry impacted Chicago and the Calumet region, right in the Museum’s backyard, with first-hand accounts from local steelworkers past and present. See historic steel artifacts, ranging from 140-year-old Home Insurance Building beams to a 2024 Olympic torch. Get a feel for the material science and metallurgy of steel by holding pieces of this remarkable alloy in your own hands. Discover how the steel industry is evolving for the future, creating a more sustainable tomorrow and driving innovation in ways we have never imagined.
Steelmakers opens on March 6, 2025.
Steelmakers was made possible by a grant from the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation and created in partnership with Steelworkers Organization of Active Retirees (SOAR), Calumet Heritage Partnership (CHP) and Southeast Chicago Historical Museum (SECHM).
