Entry No. 105 — the Chicago file — filed under: money
Charles L. Evans Money Museum
Free museum inside the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago's 1922 Beaux-Arts tower, built entirely around one subject: money. Visitors pass a security screening to see a display case holding roughly $1 million in cash, interactive counterfeiting exhibits, and — famously — leave with a small bag of shredded currency as a souvenir.
The story
Step into the 1922 Beaux-Arts tower at 230 South LaSalle Street, and you are standing inside the central bank for the Seventh Federal Reserve District. On the ground floor sits the Money Museum, opened in 2001 to give the public a look inside how currency flows through the U.S. financial system. You didn't hear it from us, but passing armed Fed security into a fortress that stores billions just to look at obsolete cash feels delightfully weird.
The collection centers on cold, hard cash in absurd physical quantities. A glass display case holds $1 million in cash, giving you a stark visual of what a fortune in paper actually looks like. Nearby, a disused elevator shaft is filled with over $50,000 in coins, while interactive exhibits let you test your eye for counterfeit security threads or print your face onto a custom dollar note. Before you step back out into The Loop, they hand you a small clear bag filled with shredded, decommissioned greenbacks—about $364 in destroyed face value that you cannot tape back together, no matter how much free time you have.
What it's like
Expect a strict security check right at the LaSalle Street entrance: every adult needs a valid government-issued photo ID to pass through the metal detectors and X-ray screening handled by armed Federal Reserve officers. Inside, the vibe is a quiet, heavily guarded lobby offset by interactive touchscreens and cash displays. You can easily cover the single-floor space in 30 to 45 minutes, making it a quick, high-security weekday detour.
The move: Bring photo ID, clear Fed security together, stand in front of a literal million dollars in $100 bills, then split a free bag of shredded cash as the weirdest souvenir either of you owns.
- 📍 The Loop
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 230 S LaSalle St, Chicago, IL 60604
Hours: Added 2026-07-19 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Color Factory Chicago — Pair a stop at the Federal Reserve with a two-block walk west to Willis Tower for 25,000 square feet of walk-through color installations.
- Batcolumn — Walk six blocks west down Jackson Boulevard after viewing $1 million in cash to see Claes Oldenburg's 101-foot steel baseball bat sculpture.
- Eastland Disaster Site & Memorial Marker — Head six blocks north to the Chicago River to visit the historic memorial marker for the 1915 SS Eastland disaster.
Good to know
Is the Charles L. Evans Money Museum free to visit?
Yes, admission is free for walk-in visitors without any advance tickets or reservations required.
What identification do I need to enter?
Adult visitors must present a valid government-issued photo ID, such as a state driver's license or passport, at the security checkpoint.
What souvenir do visitors receive?
Every visitor receives a free souvenir bag of shredded U.S. currency, containing approximately $364 in retired, shredded bills.
What are the museum's operating hours?
The museum is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., except on Federal Reserve Bank holidays.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Wikipedia · chicagofed.org · Atlas Obscura
last checked: 2026-07-19