FOUNDATION FACTS

Founding
Incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation in the State of Illinois, 1983. Tax-exempt under IRS Code section 501(c)(3).

Facilities
The Ernest Hemingway Birthplace Museum, a 2,500 sq. ft., two-story Victorian home open to the public. The Main Oak Park Library houses the Hemingway Archives and Research Room. Future plans call for the the building of an adjacent Writing & Research Center.

Hemingway Archives (housed within the Special Collections, 3rd Floor at the Oak Park Public Library)

Marcelline Hemingway Sanford Collection: Photographs, correspondence, clippings, books, clothing, childhood artifacts, and other family ephemera compiled by Ernest's sister Marcelline and generously donated to the Foundation by her sons. 

Waring Jones Collection:  Rare books, photographs, correspondence, ephemera, and family artifacts assembled by noted Hemingway collector Waring Jones over the span of several decades. 

Frank Laurence Collection: Screenplays, records, lobby cards, movie posters, and other promotional materials collected by scholar Frank Laurence, who wrote "Hemingway and the Movies." 

For more information, please visit: https://www.oppl.org/read-listen-watch/special-collections

Visitors
Approximately 7,500 people visit the Birthplace Home Museum each year; the greater number being out of town visitors, with a preponderance of visitors from aboard.  We typically host approximately 50-75 group tours annually consisting of foreign tourists, senior and student groups. 

Education
We support and foster various educational initiatives including book/author lectures, reading groups, as well as work with area school districts to develop curriculum that reinforces thoughtful reading and writing.  We sponsor an annual Hemingway Foundation Student Scholarship Essay Contest which provides a college scholarship to the winner as well as a year long mentorship with our Writer in Residence.  

Events
A variety of programming events to support our mission including our Friday@Hemingway series highlighting new and emerging artists, Hemingway in the 21st century discussion series, an annual Hemingway birthday celebration weekend in July amongst other activities.

Board
12 to 14-member board of directors representing the community and a six-member advisory board of Hemingway family, scholars and community leaders.

Volunteers
Numerous volunteers who regularly donate at least four hours per month.