We Like Beer. We Like Museums. We LIKE CHANGE. WE Know We're Not The Only Ones.

The Beer Culture Center was founded by a longtime museum professional and occasional historian. It’s purpose was rooted in the fact that, through space and time, beer has brought people together and has been a catalyst for change. Why wasn’t there - in any part of the world - a museum that focused on the story of beer outside of a specific city or brand? Why didn’t the world of arts and culture embrace the potential of the industry, its people, and its stories? And why couldn’t there be a place that looked at history and society through the lens of alcohol? That was in late 2013.

The next year a group of scholars, museum industry leaders, and beer makers were brought together, building the first team. And in 2016 the Beer Culture Center (formerly the Chicago Brewseum) was born. An exhibition at the world renowned Field Museum debuted in 2018 and an annual international public conference, the Beer Culture Summit, began in 2019 with support from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. And along the way, hundreds of events, initiatives, collaborations, celebrations, and partnerships were created. And here we are.

MISSION

The Beer Culture Center shares stories of how beer has shaped humanity, past and present. We are driven in the belief that beer is more than just a beverage. It is a dynamic cultural force with the ability to bring people together and the power to make change.

The Beer Culture Center is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit cultural organization. As the world’s first nonprofit dedicated to sharing global stories of beer, we are the national entity and cultural authority focused on this effort.

WORK

The organization currently hosts in-person and virtual events and programs as well as exhibitions with a variety of partners. Our annual conference, the Beer Culture Summit, is a multi-disciplinary four day global experience that has come to define who we are. Through our Beer Culture Journeys initiative, all of which are open to the public, we venture off to other cities and countries to join forces with colleagues in the cultural arts and food and beverage industries. Cultural beer collaborations happen too and they allow us to tell more stories in different and delicious ways.

The goal with each and every one of our projects is rooted in the conviction that beer - and alcohol - are valuable, relatable, and relevant tools for education and cultural accessibility. As an organization that was founded by a queer Latina woman born in the United States to Mexican immigrants, conversations about diversity, equity, and inclusion have been a part of our DNA since the beginning. Our work often focuses on telling the stories of marginalized communities who have played a valuable role in the world.

In a few short years we’ve received a few pivotal grants and awards that speak to the importance and effectiveness of what we do and how we do it. And through a key Strategic Planning Initiative, funded by a generous grant from the Elizabeth Morse Charitable Trust, we were able to better understand where we started, how far we’ve come, and where we’re going. Our work is driven by our team’s experience, our valuable international network, and the engagement and participation of our vibrant community. At our core, we believe that collaboration with organizations of all sizes, is the key to success. The Beer Culture Center is something we’re all building together.

VISION

While we work to find a physical brick-and-mortar museum, our efforts are currently focused on creating exhibitions and educational programming throughout the country and the world, alongside strong partners and collaborators. We believe that, just like beer, collaborative projects and collective stories will allow us to not only connect with one another, but will provide the basis to transcend obstacles that face many of us today. And we are rooted in the conviction that the only way to successfully grow and build upon our mission is to work closely with existing non-profits, cultural institutions, and alcohol makers already making an impact in their own way.

Our future building will be a multi-story facility where visitors will take in engaging interactive exhibits profiling stories of beer history and culture around the world. A permanent exhibition focused on Chicago will be supplemented by two rotating temporary exhibitions that highlight tales from other places and allow us to feature a variety of historic and modern topics and genres.

A museum celebrating beer without serving up the libation would seem. . . well, dry. The Beer Culture Center nanobrewery will craft beers that sync with the exhibitions in the museum. Can you expect to see innovative collaborative brews rooted in history and culture? Absolutely!

Having a brick-and-mortar will also allow us to host more of the groundbreaking collaborative public programs that we’ve become known for. Classrooms will offer different kinds of educational opportunities. The facility will invite special private events to gather in the rooftop beer garden and other indoor spaces.

Our Team

At the heart of the Beer Culture Center is an all-star team of people who are advocates for arts, culture, community, and public history. Our diverse crew is made up of a talented group of educators, museum professionals, historians, authors, beer pioneers, academics, researchers, and other passionate lovers of beer history and culture.