Griffin Museum Lights Tree at Cultural Festival

The Chicago museum's annual festival opened its Christmas Around the World and Holidays of Light exhibit with cultural performances.

Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Cultural

A tall evergreen tree glowing with white lights stands in a stone-columned civic hall lit by winter daylight from tall windows. — The Griffin Museum of Science and Industry lit its four-story holiday tree Saturday at its annual Tree Lighting and Cultural Festival, opening its Christmas Around the World exhibit in Chicago. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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The Griffin Museum of Science and Industry held its annual Tree Lighting and Cultural Festival on Saturday, lighting its four-story tree. The event marked the start of the museum's Christmas Around the World and Holidays of Light exhibit.

Why it matters

The festival opens a seasonal exhibit that draws visitors to the museum in Chicago during the holiday season. It also continues a tradition that began in 1942 with a single country-themed tree.

The exhibit features more than 50 holiday trees, each decorated to represent a country, up from a single tree in 1942. Volunteers sign up to decorate each country's tree, and attendance figures for the festival were not reported.

The players

Griffin Museum of Science and Industry

A Chicago museum known for its science and industry exhibits, which hosts the annual holiday tree display and festival.

The details

The festival included cultural performances, including traditional dances from Colombia, Ireland and Scotland, following the tree lighting. Volunteers sign up to represent a country and decorate its tree for the exhibit.

1942: The Christmas Around the World tradition began with a single tree decorated for a different country each day over 12 days.
Saturday, November 7, 2026: The museum held its annual Tree Lighting and Cultural Festival.

Cultural Tradition

The festival extends a holiday tradition that started in 1942 with one country-themed tree and has grown to more than 50 trees. The expansion shows the exhibit has become a recurring seasonal fixture in Chicago.

Visitors to the Griffin Museum can view the Christmas Around the World and Holidays of Light exhibit during the holiday season. The source does not specify admission prices or exhibit hours.

The takeaway

Holiday traditions often grow over decades, as this exhibit has from one tree in 1942 to more than 50 today. Visitors interested in global cultures can see how communities across the world are represented in one seasonal display.