Back to wheaton.edu
Marion Wade Center Logo
Give Connect
search

Museum

Marion E. Wade Center Museum

Museum

The Marion E. Wade Center museum features memorabilia and rotating displays with selections from our collection of books, letters, manuscripts, and artifacts. Through these exhibits we invite our visitors to explore more deeply the seven authors' lives, writings, and the historical context in which they lived.

General Information

There is no fee to visit the Wade Center. Information about Directions and Parking is available, and check our Hours page for opening times and closures. To make reservations please call 630.752.5908 or email us. If you would like to spend time in our Reading Room during your visit, please contact the Wade Center in advance.

Individuals, families, and small groups are welcome to visit, and encouraged to complete our Museum and Bookshop Visit Form. 

For groups of ten or more people, including school groups, the Wade Center does offer various programs. Please complete our Museum and Bookshop Visit Form. See our Visiting Groups page for more details. Please schedule at least 3 weeks in advance of your visit. Groups of 20 or more should let the Wade Center know in advance of your arrival, even if you are not requesting a tour or programming.

Students with wardrobePermanent Museum Features

  • A wardrobe owned by C.S. Lewis
  • Desks and pens belonging to C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien
  • Bookshelves from Charles Williams
  • Eyeglasses of Dorothy L. Sayers
  • Owen Barfield's chess set and pipe

Current Exhibits

  • "Judging a Book by its Cover" (featuring book covers of works by our authors over the decades)    
  • "The Canterbury Festival Plays"
  • "The Wade Authors: Their Reflections on Each Other"
  • "C.S. Lewis's 'Tales of Adventure'"
  • "The Wonders of Creation: Learning Stewardship from Narnia and Middle-earth"
  • "Middle-earth in Merchandise"