Name: Leather Archives & Museum
Address: 6418 N Greenview Ave, Chicago, IL 60626, USA
Telephone: (773) 761-9200
Rating: 4.8

Chicago

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Playful shop selling leather attire for men & women, including pants & underwear, plus accessories.

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Educational & historical museum for adults offering exhibitions with wearable leather & kinky props.

Leather Archives & Museum

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Psyche Fine Jewelry

An IM-focused swim practice at Gill Park.

Swim Practice at Gill Park - Focus: IM

Join us at the Chicago Public Library - Bezazian Branch for an in-person workshop providing an historical overview of bootblacking and its significance in the queer leather community. The session includes practical tips on leather care and a demonstration on a bootblack stand. Led by local bootblack Joey Reyes and Gary Wasdin, Executive Director of The Leather Archives & Museum, the event explores the role of bootblacks in preserving community history and fostering visibility. The Leather Archives & Museum, founded in 1991, aims to make leather, kink, BDSM, and fetish culture accessible through research, preservation, education, and community engagement.

The Bootblack Stand: Leather Traditions in Action

Party with the queens of Draglicious for a night of glitz and glamour! The event features top-tier entertainers performing the greatest hits to create an unforgettable experience. It is suitable for celebrations like birthdays and anniversaries. The revue takes place every Saturday from 21:00 to 23:00 at Hydrate Nightclub in Toronto.

LA&M Etienne Auditorium

Draglicious Drag Revue

A screening of the gay adult classic 'Ballet Down the Highway' from 1975, directed by Jack Deveau. The film features a nuanced and emotionally complex story about a ballet star and a closeted truck driver having a turbulent affair, with choreographed ballet sequences intertwined with sex scenes. The event takes place at the LA&M Etienne Auditorium in Chicago, with an admission fee of $12.00.

Ballet Down the Highway - Bijou Film Screening

Join us for the Cigar Social at LA&M, held at the Leather Archives & Museum. The event takes place on Sunday, April 12, 2026, from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM Central Time. Attendees will gather at the LA&M Cigar Patio and Galleries for an afternoon of socializing. The event has an attendance fee of $5.00. Additional details will be provided upon registration.

LA&M Cigar Patio, LA&M Galleries

Cigar Social @ The Museum

Join us at LASM for cigars in our Cigar Patio! Entrance is on the Northeast side of the building. Cigars available for purchase. $5 Donation.

Cigar Social at LASM

An in-person event titled 'Trident Cupcake Wars' scheduled for Sunday, April 12, 2026, from 17:00 to 19:00 Central Time. The event will take place at the LA&M Etienne Auditorium and LA&M Green Room within the Leather Archives & Museum in Chicago, IL. Participants can register online to attend, and the event details include categories related to community meetings.

Trident Cupcake Wars

Join us on April 14, 2026, from 19:00 to 21:00 at the LA&M Etienne Auditorium for the F.E.K. Draw, a studio drawing class where participants can practice figure drawing with fetish models. The event is available both in-person and online, with a $10 fee to support the models. In-person seats are limited to 89, and online seats to 48. Doors open at 18:30, and drawing begins promptly at 19:00.

F.E.K. Draw

A monthly in-person social event held at the Leather Archives & Museum, featuring cigar smoking in the LA&M Cigar Patio and Galleries. The event occurs every 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month, with the next session on April 19, 2026, from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM Central Time. Attendees pay a $5.00 fee, and more details will be provided closer to the event.

This workshop explores the historical context and origins of homoerotic cowboy rope bondage, focusing on anti-LGBTQ+ laws and homophobic tendencies in Cowboy Country, especially Texas and Wyoming. Participants will analyze the development of the porn site guysinbondage.com circa 2003 and social media posts of one of the founders. The session concludes with a discussion on sexual agency, hypermasculinity, and homophobic coping mechanisms within this subculture. A practical demonstration follows, showcasing cowboy chair bondage techniques, stylistic differences from Japanese rope bondage, and methods for preparing and applying rope and bandanas for gagging and blindfolding. The workshop ends with hands-on practice, suitable for all skill levels, including beginners. Participants are encouraged to bring specific lengths of rope and bandanas for participation.

Cowboy Rope Bondage with Shibari Shawn

An evening event at the Leather Archives & Museum featuring Mistress Mia Action and Dr. Kirin Wachter-Grene. The discussion explores taboo, arousal, and the erotics of disgust, including topics like disgust fetishes, pleasure and revulsion, and pushing personal limits within kink and political contexts. Attendees can participate in person or online, with registration required. The event aims to foster thoughtful and respectful exploration of desire at its edges.

Pozitively

Join us for the Trans Tea Party at the Leather Archives & Museum on April 25, 2026, from 1:00 PM to 4:30 PM Central Time. This in-person event features tea, an open mic/jam session, and a potluck where attendees are encouraged to bring snacks and drinks to share. Participants will also have access to the museum and library/archive to view queer art. The event takes place in the LA&M Etienne Auditorium, with stairs required to access the space and restrooms. Alcohol is not permitted inside the venue.

Trans Tea Party

An event featuring hot, thick, uncut & raw Latin tracks played all night in the backroom, hosted by DJ Austin James & Birdo Beaverhousen. The event takes place at Cell Block, with no cover charge and free clothes check. Attendees must be 21+ with valid ID. The event starts on April 25, 2026, at 8:00 pm and continues until April 26, 2026, at 4:00 am.

Uncut Latin

This event focuses on fire flogging, a form of edge play that is both sexy and fun when done safely. Master Leather Redux will demonstrate how to perform fire flogging safely, covering techniques for both tops and bottoms, as well as the necessary equipment. The session is part of a monthly series of kink education sessions led by Leather Redux, open to all regardless of gender, gender identity, orientation, or experience level.

Kink Klass w/ Master Leather Redux, Fire Flogging -- It's Getting Hot in Here!

An immersive evening of sound, fetish, and music intertwining at LA&M.

Friction: a Night of Aural Pleasures

Join us on the 2nd Tuesday each month for a studio drawing class where you can practice your figure drawing skills individually. The event provides sexy fetish models, tables, and chairs; participants bring their own materials. It is available both in-person at LA&M Etienne Auditorium in Chicago and online via Zoom. The session costs $10 to help pay models, payable online, via Venmo (@LeatherArchives), or cash at the door. Doors open at 6:30 PM, and drawing starts promptly at 7:00 PM. The event is scheduled for May 12, 2026, from 19:00 to 21:00 Central Time.

The Leather Archives & Museum is highly praised for its well-organized exhibits and passionate staff, making it a significant place for queer history. Visitors appreciate the thoughtful curation and the diverse nature of leather culture, though some express disappointment over the representation of women and non-binary individuals. Overall, it is regarded as a fantastic cultural experience that is both educational and engaging.

Chicago's LGBTQ+ community is centered around Boystown (now officially called Northalsted), the first officially recognized gay village in the United States. The area features iconic venues like Sidetrack, Roscoe's Tavern, and The Closet. The city also has vibrant queer scenes in Andersonville, Lakeview, and the South Loop. Chicago Pride is one of the largest Pride celebrations globally, and the city hosts numerous LGBTQ+ events including Market Days and the Chicago International Film Festival's LGBTQ+ programming. The city's diverse queer community spans multiple neighborhoods and includes strong representation across all identities.

Leather Archives & Museum

About

What People Say

Location

Hours

Events at Leather Archives & Museum

Upcoming events

April 2026

Cigar Social @ The Museum

Cigar Social at LASM

Trident Cupcake Wars

F.E.K. Draw

Cigar Social @ The Museum

Cowboy Rope Bondage with Shibari Shawn

Pozitively

Trans Tea Party

Uncut Latin

May 2026

Kink Klass w/ Master Leather Redux, Fire Flogging -- It's Getting Hot in Here!

Friction: a Night of Aural Pleasures

F.E.K. Draw

Past events (last 90 days)

March 2026

Swim Practice at Gill Park - Focus: IM

The Bootblack Stand: Leather Traditions in Action

Draglicious Drag Revue

April 2026

Ballet Down the Highway - Bijou Film Screening

Take Chicago's queer scene with you

More other in Chicago

The Chopping Block

Get in the Kitchen

Pride Arts Center

Barbara & Barbara Salon

More in Chicago

Chicago Sugar Daddy

Drew's on Halsted

D.S. Tequila Company

Photos