The Foundation has moved to Erie Street! Our new office is located on the fifth floor of the John B. Murphy Memorial at 50 East Erie Street in Chicago. The mailing address is 25 East Erie Street.
Prior to the Foundation’s move, the Murphy Memorial underwent an extensive renovation by the Richard H. Driehaus Museum, which acquired the building in 2022.
Completed in 1926, the Murphy was designed by noted Chicago architectural firm Marshall and Fox for the American College of Surgeons as a memorial to Dr. John B. Murphy, a founding member and renowned physician, surgeon, and teacher. The French Renaissance exterior design was inspired by Albert Guilbert’s Chapelle de Notre Dame de Consolation, a memorial building built in Paris in 1901.
Originally, the Murphy served as a lecture hall, library, and event space, and was the center for surgical research, education, and advancement. The American College of Surgeons occupied the building until 1997 and maintained ownership until 2022.
Executive Director Anne Lazar shared, “The Foundation is excited to move into its new permanent home in the renovated Murphy Auditorium. It fulfills Richard H. Driehaus’ vision for a campus that housed his investment firm, museum, and private foundation in buildings that are important to Chicago’s rich architectural history. And now, with the completion of our move, along with the landmark status of these beautiful buildings, it is assured their presence will be enjoyed by Chicagoans and visitors for generations to come.”
Richard H. Driehaus long admired the John B. Murphy Memorial for both its interior and exterior architecture which includes an ornate limestone façade, cast bronze doors constructed by Tiffany Studios, and stained-glass windows. He purchased the Nickerson Mansion at 40 East Erie Street from the American College of Surgeons in 2003, establishing the Driehaus Museum and sponsored a restoration of the Murphy auditorium that began in 2004. The Foundation is grateful to be located in a building with such a rich history, and a strong connection to Chicago and its founder Richard H. Driehaus.
