Checking out The Marion E. Wade Center
Checking off another Inklings Spot!
Most of the spots I want to visit (or revisit) with connections to the Inklings aren’t in the U.S. But there are a few and while I was in Chicago for a conference, I made sure to carve out some time to head to Wheaton and visit the Marion E. Wade Center. A big bonus was getting to meet fellow Inklings fan in person, Wesley H., and explore with her as well!
The Wade Center “promotes cultural engagement and spiritual formation by offering a collection of resources available nowhere else in the world. We emphasize the ongoing relevance of seven British Christian authors who provide a distinctive blend of intellect, imagination, and faith: C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, G.K. Chesterton, George MacDonald, Dorothy L. Sayers, Owen Barfield, and Charles Williams. The Wade Center implements these goals by assisting scholars in their study of unique materials by and about these seven authors in order to generate new understandings, sharing insights with a broader audience through our numerous programs and publications, supporting artistic works inspired by our authors, and welcoming visitors to our museum.”1
This is a fun place to visit. I was only there for a couple hours, but if I lived closer, I’d love to attend events in person (although they livestream events and have a podcast!). They have helpful displays of the history of the center, as well as history of Lewis, Tolkien, and other key Inklings. They also have a handful of art and displays in the museum room. The highlight for me was definitely seeing artifacts from the Inklings, including Lewis’s and Tolkien’s individual desks, handwritten letters, and of course the wardrobe that inspired Lewis. Because of a variety of permissions and copyright, there were a few things I snagged pictures of that I don’t think I can post, so I’ll just leave you with the wardrobe.
Here’s from the plaque:
The oak in this wardrobe was adzed, assembled and carved by Lewis's grandfather. Even the hinges and nails were hand made. It stood at Little Lea, Lewis's boyhood home in Belfast, and later was transported to England and for many years remained in the main hallway at The Kilns, Lewis's home near Oxford.
On October 30, 1973, it was purchased at auction and shipped from London to Chicago by freighter, then brought to Wheaton. According to Lewis's brother, it was the inspiration for the wardrobe in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the story in which the Pevensie children accidentally discovered the entrance to the land of Narnia and many strange and wonderful adventures.
If you’re in the Chicago area, this is well worth stopping by!
Have you been? What’s on the top of your list of Inklings-related places to visit?
© 2025 Jamie Lapeyrolerie
I was able to drop in at the Marion E. Wade Center last year when I did a road trip from Winnipeg to Grand Rapids to go to the Festival of Faith and Writing. It was so worth the stop. At the time, I thought I might just spend ten or fifteen minutes looking around quickly. I think I spend an hour there and could have easily stayed longer. So interesting and very friendly staff who showed me around!
Well, here’s an offbeat comment. In reading this, I recalled a note about a newly discovered restaurant, an all-you-can eat Polish food buffet that is also in Chicago. Now we have no excuse but to visit since discovering this great museum. Sure, it’s not British pub food, but maybe they would approve?
https://restaurantredapple.com