Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay has an extensive collection of rock memorabilia and now, he’s bringing those incredible artifacts to Chicago. Irsay’s goal is to showcase his iconic collection of rock music, American history, and pop culture artifacts in a museum– and you can go see them in person. On August 2nd, his extensive collection of culturally significant artifacts will be on display at the Navy Pier. The event will feature iconic items like guitars owned by Bob Dylan and Janis Joplin, members of The Beatles, Prince, Eric Clapton, Jerry Garcia of The Grateful Dead, Sir Elton John, Johnny Cash, Les Paul, Jimi Hendrix, and Pink Floyd‘s David Gilmour, along with so many other incredible artifacts from impactful musicians.
FYI: This is only the second time the entire collection will be available for public viewing!
With a special performance by Rock & Roll Hall of Famer and Heart singer, Ann Wilson, along with The Jim Irsay Band, a band that was formed specifically for this event. Irsay will be on vocals, with the rest of the band made up of John Mellencamp’s Mike Wanchic on guitar, R.E.M’s Mike Mills on bass, Tom Bukovac on guitar, Grammy-nominated Kenny Wayne Shepherd on blues guitar, and legendary musicians like Kenny Aronoff on drums, Michael Ramos on keys, Carmella Ramsey on fiddle, along with other surprise guests, this memorabilia-filled rock concert is not one to miss out on.
There will also be other non-music-related items on display, like an original “Wanted” poster for John Wilkes Booth, a robe worn by Muhammad Ali, and a baseball bat used by Jackie Robinson. Taking place at the Aon Grand Ballroom, the free event plans to run from 7 PM to 10 PM. Tickets are required, though, and can be found here.
The extensive collection is a can’t-miss opportunity to see famous instruments, handwritten lyrics– like Paul McCartney’s handwritten lyrics to Hey Jude, and autographed photos by some of the most iconic musicians throughout history. The most recent additions to the already impressive collection include Jerry Garcia’s primary performance guitar, as well as a guitar from late Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain, that he played in his band’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” video.
Address: 840 E Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60611
[Featured photo via: The Jim Irsay Collection]