Located in the historic home of Chicago banker Samuel Mayo Nickerson, the Richard H. Driehaus Museum has a mission to influence the modern day worlds of architecture and design by preserving the prevalent styles of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It was founded in 2003 by Richard Driehaus, a Chicago businessman and philanthropist whose Driehaus Foundation has initiated and funded numerous renovations of historic buildings nationwide. The Nickerson House was built in 1883, and reflected the cutting-edge in design and architecture of the era, drawing on a diverse mix of decorative styles. The building was renovated over a five-year period, as every detail was painstakingly reproduced. Today, visitors to the Museum see the building in as close to its original state as allowed by modern knowledge and research, and are given a perspective of life and culture in 19th century Chicago rarely seen today.

Admission to the Museum is limited to tours of 30-90 minutes. Both public and private tours are available, with windows for either on various days of the week (see additional information); tours may be guided or self-guided, also depending on day of visit.