First Floor

Public spaces for entertaining and the family’s private spaces occupy this floor. The central core dates to 1896 while wings on the east and west sides were added during a massive expansion in the early 1930s. The McCormick family spent most of their time on this floor once the additions were completed.

Medill Library
Named for Joseph Medill, who built this house in 1896, this space interprets the home’s early years and occupants. After Medill’s death in 1899, the home passed to his daughter Katherine and then to her son Robert R. McCormick. During Medill’s era, this room served as a welcoming space for visitors. Today it showcases Medill’s connections to the Civil War and Abraham Lincoln.

Reception Hall
Visitors enter the Robert R. McCormick Museum through this space where Robert’s butler once greeted his guests. This centrally located space opens into the dining room, drawing room, and long hall and boasts a three-storey tall main staircase featuring 4 spindle designs.

Dining Room
A 70-ft.-long hand-painted mural that Maryland McCormick purchased during a trip to China, adorns the walls. When she moved to Washington DC after Robert died, she had the painting removed and transported to her new home. Upon her return to Chicago 20 years later, she donated the painting to the Robert R. McCormick Museum and it was returned to the dining room walls.

Butler's Pantry
Serving staff required space to organize food service for meals. Created during the 1930s remodeling, this room includes cabinet and drawer space for dozens of plates, serving piece, and glassware plus a small refrigerator to keep cold foods chilled. An electric dumb waiter leads to the dish pantry in the basement.

Colonel's Dressing Room
The Museum’s West Wing includes private spaces for Robert and his wife. Each person had his or her own dressing room, bedroom, and private bath. 

Colonel's Sitting Room
Originally intended as Robert’s bedroom, this room reflects many aspects of his personality. Portions of Robert’s personal library highlight his interests in mystery stories and historical subjects. These books still bear the numbering system he used to organize them.

Colonel's Bedroom
Architect Willis Irvin’s plans call this room the “Wife’s Bedroom” but Amy McCormick never used the spaces built for her. Today the museum interprets this space as a sleeping room for Robert. Portraits of American statesmen he admired hang on the walls.

Maryland McCormick's Bedroom
Robert’s second wife, Maryland, moved into these rooms after their 1944 marriage. This large room provided space for her extensive wardrobe. A stylish woman, she wore designer clothing including Chicago’s own Bes-Ben hats.

Long Hall
House occupants, from staff to guests to McCormick family members, used this passage to move from the entry hall to the West Wing.

Drawing Room
Built as part of the original 1896 house, the McCormicks entertained guests in this comfortable room. Robert and Maryland posed here for one of their Christmas card photographs.

Freedom Hall
Robert added this room during the home’s 1930s remodeling. With 22-ft.-high ceilings, imported Brazilian butternut wood-paneled walls, and a striking Art Deco bar, this room reflects Robert’s personality. Here he installed one of the house’s two elevators; this one delivers firewood from a basement access room to the fireplaces on the north and south walls. In 1937, Robert returned to Cantigny, France at the request of General Pershing and delivered a speech dedicating the 1st Division’s monument there. His will requested the speech be preserved here.

Sword Hall
Robert collected handguns, long gun, and edge weapons from all over the world. Many pieces from his sword collection line the wood paneled hallway between Freedom Hall and the Drawing Room.