Chicago Youth Time Capsules Opened for Public Exhibit

Living Record launched a traveling exhibition featuring artifacts from Chicago youth collected during 2021.

Updated on Sept. 30, 2026 in Youth

Chicago Youth Time Capsules Opened for Public Exhibit

Live Poll

Should local communities prioritize projects that preserve shared history of recent collective challenges?

The Look Back to Go Forward exhibition has debuted at the Harold Washington Library Center, showcasing 5,000 time capsule submissions. Teens from After School Matters helped curate the collection, which includes letters and personal items from the pandemic era.

Why it matters

This project offers a unique look at how young Chicagoans processed the COVID-19 pandemic. By preserving these artifacts, the exhibit allows the community to reflect on collective change and shared experiences from that period.

Living Record received 5,000 individual submissions for the project. The capsules were sealed in 2021 and remained stored for five years before being reopened by youth participants.

The players

Living Record

This organization facilitates community-based archiving projects that focus on preserving local history through personal narratives and physical artifacts.

After School Matters

This Chicago-based nonprofit provides life-changing after-school and summer opportunities to more than 19,000 high school teens each year.

The details

The exhibition features personal items including photos, trading cards, and guitar picks gathered by students during the pandemic. Participants also integrated an interactive map component, allowing visitors to add their own memories to the display.

Youth created the time capsules in 2021.
The official public kickoff event is October 1, 2026.
The exhibit concludes its run at the Harold Washington Library Center on October 3, 2026.
The traveling exhibition will continue visiting sites across Chicago through early January 2027.

Culture Shift

This project exemplifies the broader trend of community-led archiving in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic-era community archiving movement. It highlights a shift toward documenting personal histories as a form of social resilience rather than relying solely on official institutional records.

Residents can visit the Harold Washington Library Center through October 3, 2026, to view the collection. Visitors are also encouraged to participate in the interactive map component to share their own perspectives on local changes.

The takeaway

Preserving personal mementos from difficult times provides a tangible way to process large-scale social transitions. Residents should consider documenting their own current milestones to create a personal archive of their growth over time.