JAHM Exhibit Galleries

Featured Exhibits

Vertical Divider

Gerlach-Barklow Calendar Company
Special Exhibit Gallery
On Exhibit: February thru December, 2025

Our new exhibition explores the fascinating history of Gerlach-Barklow, an iconic art calendar company founded in Joliet in 1907. Known for the original artwork created by local artists for its calendar line, Gerlach-Barklow made a significant impact on the calendar industry. In 1924, the P.F. Volland Company, a Chicago-based publisher, merged with Gerlach-Barklow, expanding their operations to include books and greeting cards. This exhibit offers visitors a closer look at the legacy of these companies through a curated collection of greeting cards, artist prints, and calendars that showcase their artistic and commercial significance.

Vertical Divider

REBEL MUSIC!: Women of Color Who Changed the Beat
Presented by: Black & Brown Femme Films
On Exhibit: February 21st - March 21st, 2026

REBEL MUSIC!, presented by Black & Brown Femme Films (BBFF) is a sonic and visual journey through the artistry, resilience, and genius of women and femmes of color who shifted the beat and rewrote the score. From protest chants to punk riffs, from soul anthems to experimental soundscapes, their work is both resistance and revelation.

Through art, installation, and film, this museum exhibition honors the voices that refused silence, the rhythms that carried liberation forward, and the imaginations that dared to dream us into new worlds.

The exhibit will be accompanied by weekly presentations, each spotlighting powerful women and women of color who continue to shape culture and history. Visit our Upcoming Programs page for more information.

Vertical Divider

Joliet Arsenal Exhibition
JAHM Permanent Exhibit Gallery
Permanent Exhibit Gallery

The Joliet Army Ammunition Plant (formerly known as the Joliet Arsenal) consisting of the Kankakee Ordnance Works (KOW) and the Elwood Ordnance Plant (EOP) was built at the beginning of World War II. The KOW produced high explosives like TNT and tetryl along with several of their constituent chemicals. The EOP performed load-assemble-package operations to produce finished munitions like aerial bombs, artillery shells, and mines. Following World War II, the installation was maintained in standby condition, reactivating in support of the Korean War and for the Viet Nam conflict. In 1993 the Army declared the plant to be in excess of their future mission requirements and the decommissioning, clean up and disposal operations began.

Route 66 Welcome Center

Welcome to the heart of America’s most iconic highway, Route 66! Our Route 66 Welcome Center invites you to step back in time and experience the spirit of this legendary route. Begin your journey with a fun photo op at our Route 66 Diner Scene, where you can pose in front of a nostalgic diner backdrop. The photographs featured outside the diner windows are actual historical images of Route 66 in Joliet, offering a glimpse into the past.

Discover the Made in Joliet exhibit, showcasing artifacts manufactured right here in Joliet, including a rare 1909 Economy Motor Buggy, a symbol of the area's early automotive history. Don't miss the iconic original suits worn by Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi during the filming of the 1980 cult classic The Blues Brothers. These pieces of cinematic history bring Route 66’s cultural influence to life, blending nostalgia with the vibrant legacy of this legendary American highway."

Permanent Exhibit Galleries

Take a journey through the rich history of Joliet, a city shaped by its people, industry, and natural resources. Beginning with the city's early development through the Illinois & Michigan Canal and its transformation in the 19th century with the rise of steel and limestone industries, earning Joliet the nickname "City of Stone and Steel." Explore the complex relationship between the city and the Old Joliet Prison, where local residents interacted with the penitentiary through employment, ministries, and cultural activities. Step back in time with a 1920s-1930s trolley ride through downtown Joliet and experience the post-WWII suburban expansion of the 1950s. Celebrate Joliet's connection to space exploration in the Apollo/Houbolt Exhibit, honoring Dr. John C. Houbolt's role in the Apollo 11 moon landing. These galleries offer a captivating look at Joliet's past, from its industrial roots to its place in the history of space exploration.