Unlocking The Story

Meet the diverse cast of characters connected to the Wormser Bedroom’s story and learn about its time, place and style.

  • Black and white portrait of the Wormser family.

    The People

    Meet the characters in the rich story of this Art Deco bedroom: Joseph Urban and the craftspeople who created his modernist designs; Leo, Helen, and Elaine Wormser, and their household staff.

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  • Black and white photograph of Drake Tower, looking up from street-level.

    The Penthouse

    Visit the Drake Tower on Chicago’s Lake Michigan “Gold Coast” – the location of the Wormser’s penthouse apartment and this Joseph Urban-designed Art Deco bedroom.

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  • A dark blue bowl with light blue markings depicting various elements from the era's style.

    The Era

    In America, the era after World War I was marked by prosperity and progress. The decade saw changes for women, skyscrapers, jazz and the dawn of the machine age.

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  • Semitranslucent perfume bottle with a large ornamental stopper, depicting a woman in fetal position against a knot of curving lines.

    The Style

    ​​The “Roaring Twenties,” Art Deco, Modernism – Discover the 1920s through the eyes of designer Joseph Urban and his contemporaries.

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