Professional basketball player in action

Neighborhood News: Streeterville’s Chicago Sports Museum an interactive primer on Chicago’s rich sports history

Professional basketball player in action

Boasting “the largest collection of Chicago Cubs World Series memorabilia in the city,” Streeterville’s Chicago Sports Museum  at Water Tower Place, 835 N. Michigan Avenue, is home to all things Chicago sports, offering interactive experiences pitting yourself against Chicago’s living legends, including Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bears

Located next to Harry Caray’s Seventh Inning Stretch and operated by Harry Caray’s Restaurant Group, according to TripAdvisor, the 8,000 square foot museum explores the legends and lore of Chicago sports. It combines hi-tech interactive experiences-including skill challenges and simulated experiences-with unique sports memorabilia and an impressive collection of game-used treasures and other artifacts. 

NOTE: Admission is free “with minimum purchase” if you dine at Harry Caray’s Seventh Inning Stretch. 

Is Your Hand Bigger than Michael Jordan’s?

Begin your tour, as the website suggests, testing your skills against some of the all-time greats. Learn to throw a curve ball from Cy Young Award Winner (and legendary Cubs/White Sox broadcaster) Steve Stone, test your vertical leap against Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan, compare your wingspan to teammate/Hall of FamerScottie Pippen and compare your grip strength against former Chicago Bear Kyle Long. Around the corner, you’ll find cases full of game worn memorabilia and championship rings. Remember Bears great William “Refrigerator” Perry? Try on a replica of his Super Bowl ring, the largest one ever crafted. 

These interactive exhibits use body-tracking technology, allowing you to challenge your quarterback skills with Bears defensive end/Hall of Famer Richard Dent

There’s also an impressive collection of autographed, authentic game-worn jerseys, including Chicago Bandits softball legend Jennie Finch and Chicago Sky basketball star Elena Delle Donne

The Goat and other Curses and Legends 

There’s an entire section devoted to to curses and legends. As they say on their website… when you’re a team plagued by a 108 year World Series drought, superstitions become a way of life. At the Chicago Sports Museum, you’ll learn about curses that have beleaguered teams around the world and superstitions that players use to ward off “bad luck.” As Wikipedia sources note, the Cubs tried to break the curse by bringing the goat to Opening Day in 1984 and 1989, both years in which the Cubs went on to win their division. In 1994, Sam Sianis went again, with a goat, to stop a home losing streak, and in 1998 for the Wild Card tie-breaker game. Immerse yourself in the world of Cubs lore and legends, from the remains of the Infamous Foul Ball (aka, the ‘Bartman Ball’) from the 2003 playoff run to the Sports Almanac and Hoverboard from “Back to the Future II” which predicted the Cubs would win the World Series (they were only a year and two weeks off on their prediction!)

The Chicago Sports Museum is located Water Tower Place, Level 7, 835 N. Michigan Avenue. They are open Monday-Thursday: 11:30am – 6:30pm, Friday – Saturday: 11am- 8pm, and Sunday: 12pm- 6pm. For more information, click here

Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago