BEER IS THE LENS. HUMANITY IS THE STORY.

The Beer Culture Center was founded by a longtime museum professional and occasional historian with a simple question: if beer has helped shape humanity, why wasn't anyone telling that story?

For thousands of years, beer has brought people together, inspired creativity, fueled economies, and sparked change. Yet there was no museum dedicated to exploring beer beyond a single city, brand, or company. Why weren’t arts and cultural institutions embracing the stories, people, and possibilities found in the story of beer? And why couldn’t we look at history and society through the lens of alcohol?

Those questions led to the creation of the first team in 2014 - a group of scholars, museum leaders, and beer makers united by curiosity and a belief that these stories mattered. In 2016, the Beer Culture Center (formerly the Chicago Brewseum) was born.

Since then, we've brought those stories to life through exhibitions, educational programs, and collaborations around the world, including a groundbreaking exhibition at the Field Museum in 2018 and, in 2019, with support from the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, the launch of the Beer Culture Summit, our signature annual international gathering. And along the way, hundreds of events, initiatives, collaborations, celebrations, and partnerships were created. Through all of these efforts and more, we continue to connect people through the stories that surround beer and alcohol, while working toward a permanent museum and remaining committed to creating experiences that are curious, collaborative, and accessible - building something bigger together.

WHAT WE BELIEVE

The Beer Culture Center shares stories of how beer has shaped humanity, past and present.

We believe beer is more than a beverage. It is a powerful cultural force - one that brings people together, builds community, and inspires change. And while beer is our starting point, alcohol in all its forms occasionally joins the conversation.

As the world's first nonprofit dedicated to exploring the global stories of beer and alcohol, the Beer Culture Center is a registered 501(c)(3) cultural organization and a leading voice in this emerging field.

At the heart of everything we do is a simple belief: beer and alcohol are valuable, relatable, and accessible ways to understand ourselves and one another. We believe history is richer when more voices are heard, and much of our work explores the people and communities whose stories have too often been overlooked. Our greatest strength is our community. Together with our team, our international network, and our partners and supporters around the world, we're building something bigger than any one organization could create alone.

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.