Ernest Hemingway Birthplace Museum

Built in 1890 by his maternal grandparents and designed by Wesley Arnold, the residence was one of the first in Oak Park to have electricity. Ernest Hemingway was born in a second-floor bedroom here in July 1899 and spent his first six years in the house. A restoration launched in 1992 recovered its 1890s character along with many original architectural features. The museum is explored on intimate docent-led tours that walk through the domestic spaces while detailing the author’s early years and family background.