Community Corner

Ernest Hemingway Museum Offers Glimpse of Prolific Author's Life in Oak Park

The childhood diary, letters, early writings, rare pictures and other memorabilia of Ernest Hemingway can be found at the Ernest Hemingway Museum.

Want to learn more about one of the country’s most famous novelists?

Ernest Hemingway was born and raised in Oak Park. His childhood diary, letters, early writings, rare pictures and other memorabilia can be found at the Ernest Hemingway Museum, located at 200 N. Oak Park Ave., and operated by the Ernest Hemingway Foundation of Oak Park. The Ernest Hemingway Birthplace Home is located at 339 N. Oak Park Ave.

Hemingway attended Oak Park-River Forest High School from 1913-17, and began his writing career at the school’s student newspaper, The Trapeze. After high school he reported for a few months for The Kansas City Star, before enlisting with the World War I ambulance drivers. His wartime experiences formed the basis for his novel A Farewell to Arms. The author committed suicide by shotgun July 2, 1961.

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Hours for the Ernest Hemingway Museum, Birthplace Home and Museum Store are 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and students 18 and younger with a valid ID, and free for children 5 and under.

Admission includes a self-guided tour of the museum and a guided tour of the author's birthplace. Advance registrations are required for groups of 10 people or more, for which group rates are available.

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The museum store features books by and about the author, gift items, videos and posters.

The Ernest Hemingway Foundation of Oak Park holds a Hemingway birthday lecture and celebration every July 21, along with reading and discussion groups throughout the year. A full calendar and more information is available at the foundation's web site.

For more information, visit www.ehfop.org.


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