Ravenswood/Lake View Community Collection, Postcard 29.36, Northside Neighborhood History Collection, Chicago Public Library.
A new exhibit, Palaces for the People: The Balaban and Katz Theater Empire, opens October 1, 2026, at the Legler Regional Library and Uptown Library.
Drawn from Chicago Public Library’s Archives and Special Collections, along with materials from institutions including the Library of Congress, the exhibit explores the rise and influence of one of Chicago’s most iconic entertainment companies.
Through photographs, postcards, programs and other archival materials, Palaces for the People highlights the architecture, ambition and cultural impact of Balaban and Katz’s world-renowned theater palaces and their place in Chicago’s entertainment, music and performing arts history.
Palaces for the People will be on display at the Legler Regional Library and Uptown Library from October 1, 2026, to December 30, 2026.