First Division (Big Red One) Museum - Chicago (United Sates)

Important note

Photos provided on this website are not an endorsement of any political idea or of war. War is one of the most regrettable human activities.

All photos on this page are copyrighted Mathilde Schmetz and may only be reproduced with her express permission. You may contact me here for any question or comment on this webpage.

The museum

What is this museum about ?

The First Division Museum at Cantigny is dedicated to the history of the Big Red One, the famed 1st Infantry Division of the United States Army. The museum includes 10,000 square feet of state of the art interactive and experiential exhibits and also houses the Colonel Robert R. McCormick Research Center.

The museum has a wide variety of exhibits ranging from the life-size dioramas in the main exhibit hall to the tanks and artillery pieces found in the military park.

Origins of the museum

The official website provides a list of links to the Society of the First Infantry Division, the U.S. Army’s 1st Infantry Division, and other sites of interest.

Museum authorities can be contacted by mail.

Location information

The Museum is located in Cantigny near Chicago (Illinois).

First Division Museum at Cantigny
1s151 Winfield Road
Wheaton, IL 60187-6097
630-668-5185

From downtown Chicago, travel 30 miles west on the Eisenhower Expressway (I-290) and the East-West Tollway (I-88) to Winfield Road. Take Winfield Road 3.5 miles north to Cantigny. The park entrance is on the east side of Winfield Road.

Opening Hours : from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily (from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m from Memorial Day through Labor Day, always closed in January).

Personal Note

Do not also forget to visit the Remember Museum (also focused on the Big Red One) located in Belgium. See my photos here.

There is also a Big Red One Assault Museum located in Colleville-sur-Mer (France) and the Big Red One M.V.C.G. Belgium - WW2 Re-enactment Unit.