National Radio Hall of Fame

A major new exhibit on the history of radio in America is coming to Chicago’s Museum of Broadcast Communications. But you’ll have to wait two years to see it.

The National Radio Hall of Fame is expected to announce Tuesday that it plans to debut “100 Years of Radio” in the fall of 2019. Radio celebrates its official centennial in 2020.

Billed as “an interactive experience through emerging technologies and architecture,” the exhibit will require renovation of the space currently occupied by the Radio Hall of Fame on the second floor of the museum at 360 North State Street.

Visitors will have access to audio performances and histories of inductees, as well as numerous artifacts such as microphones of iconic personalities and instruments from live radio theater productions, according to officials.

"This is an exciting time as we get to innovate and modernize the presentation of our medium's rich history," Kraig Kitchin, chairman of the Radio Hall of Fame, said in a statement.

The project will not affect plans for this year’s induction ceremony on November 2 at the museum. In addition to Chicago radio legend John Records Landecker, other 2017 inductees are Sean Hannity, Robin Quivers, Tom Barnard, Bobby Bones, Bill Handel, Joseph Field and Bob Sievers.

But next year’s 30th annual induction will be located in New York to accommodate the renovation process in Chicago. "We're looking forward to bringing the ceremony to New York City [in 2018], especially since we received great feedback when we brought it to Los Angeles in 2014,” Kitchin said.