Our Values

Hospitality

Hospitality was one of Frances Glessner's greatest gifts. She asked architect H. H. Richardson to design a cozy home, one where guests would feel welcome. We have many anecdotes of her legendary hospitality.

We keep the spirit of the Glessners alive by welcoming people from around the world to experience the house today as if they were guests of the Glessners. Everyone is a guest, not a visitor.

 
Authenticity

At a time when many high society couples of the Gilded Age used their homes to display wealth, rank, and fashionable tastes, the Glessners chose a different path. They were authentic to themselves, progressive in their thinking, and confident enough to build a home that served their family and guests rather than for the purpose of impressing others.

We offer an authentic experience of Glessner House, with its original furnishings, art, and more, all placed exactly as they were when the Glessners lived in the home, matched to photographs, journals, and records. Our docents create their own tours, authentic to the record, but unique to them.

 
Curiosity

The Glessners were intellectually curious and followed their interests with action. Frances Glessner founded the Monday Morning Reading Class for continuous learning. She became a silversmith, embroidery expert, beekeeper, and pianist. They built a large library and learned from all of the craftsmen they employed. Their daughter Frances created the Nutshell Studies, revolutionizing forensic science training.

Glessner House today remains a community of deeply curious, continuous learners. We offer programs on a wide variety of subjects, from architecture to beekeeping and beyond. We are not static; our collection and experiences keep growing, and we invite people to continue learning with us.

 
Creativity

The Glessners honored creative expression and respected both the craftspeople and the craft itself. They invested in the arts in their home and in the broader community, including as founding members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Art Institute of Chicago. Their hospitality reflected that same respect for creativity: they even hosted the entire Symphony Orchestra for dinner, welcoming the musicians as guests rather than performers.

Today, we continue that legacy by celebrating the creative elements of the house and offering programs that inspire others. Through concerts, plays, maker events, and hands-on interpretation, we honor the arts as a living tradition. In recreating the Glessners’ dining table from its original plans, we hired a craftsperson to build it by hand with tools and materials authentic to the period, and we proudly promote and celebrate that work.

Adopted by the Board of Directors, September 14, 2026