Bringing Bridges to Life at the Bridgehouse Museum

This season, the McCormick Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum unveiled an informative new addition to its iconic gear room, home to the massive gears that power the DuSable Bridge at Michigan Avenue. Five newly designed temporary displays trace the remarkable story of Chicago’s bridges and include a component for visitor feedback, which will be used to inform permanent exhibits. 

The creative force behind these new displays is Mitchell Trachtenberg, a master’s student in Urban Planning and Policy at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC). His experience with the Freshwater Lab at UIC led him to an internship at the Bridgehouse Museum—and to a passion project perfectly matched to his interests.

Trachtenberg, who hails from Deerfield, began his internship in May. Assisting with visitor desk duties and private tours, he soon pitched an idea that would reshape how visitors experience one of the museum’s most awe-inspiring spaces.

With a background in comedy writing and a sharp curiosity about the built environment, Trachtenberg had spent the past two years researching Chicago bridges. His interest began on the Ashland Avenue bus where he often passed the striking Deering Bridge near Fullerton Street. That fascination quickly grew into a deeper exploration of the engineering, history, and human stories behind Chicago’s bridges.

“The story of Chicago cannot be told without the story of our drawbridges,” said Trachtenberg. “This is because the evolution of these bridges mirrored the evolution of the city, from marshland settlements, to an industrial powerhouse, to a modern metropolis. These historic structures are so easy to miss, but when you point them out, people take notice. Drawbridges are the ground you’re standing on—and the ground can move.”

His exhibit features five wall panels:

  • Early Chicago – Exploring the pre-bridge era
  • First Swing Bridges – The city’s initial mechanical crossings
  • Bridge Types Over Time – Including rolling lift and vertical lift bridges
  • Trunnion Bascule Bridges – The "Chicago-type" design; 37 still exist today
  • The Oddballs – Highlighting Chicago’s most innovative and unusual bridges

Each panel was thoroughly researched, written, designed, and illustrated by Trachtenberg, with support from Friends’ staff. A QR code next to the exhibit allows visitors to leave feedback. Trachtenberg’s designed along with visitor input will inform new permanent exhibit signs.

“I love bridges, and this was the opportunity of my dreams,” Trachtenberg noted. “I have this strange passion and found the one place in the city where it’s totally appreciated.”

When visitors experience the DuSable Bridge in motion from inside the Bridgehouse Museum they stand just feet from the massive gears that raise and lower the bridge; or visitors can climb to the top for a stunning view as the bridge lifts above Michigan Avenue. Chicago’s bridges open about 40 times a year (April–November) to let sailboats pass between the river and Lake Michigan. The lifts begin at Lake Shore Drive and move west through 27 bridges. The DuSable Bridge is third in line—visitors to the museum can hear the bells, watch the gates close, and see the iconic span rise skyward.

Thanks to Trachtenberg’s passion and dedication, visitors to the museum now see not just gears—but the entire life of Chicago iconic bridges.

Bridge life viewing dates on are Saturdays, October 4, 11, and 25. Tickets: $15. On these Saturdays, the museum will be open at 9:15 a.m. and the lifts are expected sometime between 9:30 and 10 a.m. Reservations required. The Bridgehouse Museum is open Wednesday to Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Saturday, October 25.