Humboldt Park

Humboldt (Alexander Von) Park

Located in the heart of the Humboldt Park Community, Humboldt Park totals 197.26 acres and is home to a large, historic fieldhouse with a fitness center, two gymnasiums and meeting rooms, as well as an inland beach and the historic lagoons and boat house. Explore Humboldt Park - Take Our Audio TourSee its lovely features and learn about the architects, artists, and landscape designers who created it. Learn more. Recreational facilities at the park include an artificial turf soccer field, a junior soccer field, baseball fields, tennis courts and a replica of the Chicago Cubs stadium known as “Little Cubs Field." The park is home to several playgrounds that were recently renovated as part of Mayor Emanuel’s Chicago Plays! Program. With the support of the community, Puerto Rican leaders in Chicago began leasing the historic Humboldt Park stables near Paseo Boricua. This landmark location now houses The National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture. It is the only museum in the nation that is completely dedicated to the history of Puerto Rican arts and culture. Many of these spaces are available for rental. The grand ballroom in the field house is a popular location for wedding receptions and graduation parties. The outdoor soccer fields and Little Cubs Field frequently host competitive sports tournaments. Park-goers come to Humboldt to enjoy baseball, soccer and tennis, as well as fishing by the lagoon. On the cultural side, Humboldt Park is host to the Latin Jazz Festival and the Puerto Rican Festival. The park is also the site of a wind turbine filtration system for the lagoons. After school programs are offered throughout the school year, and in the summer, youth attend the Park District’s popular six-week day camp. Specialty camps are offered in the summer as well, including baseball camp. In addition to programs, Humboldt Park hosts fun special events throughout the year for the whole family, including Shakespeare in the Park, Movies in the Park and other Night Out in the Parks special events. The park was named for Alexander Von Humboldt, a German naturalist and geographer famed for his five-volume work Cosmos: Draft of a Physical Description of the World, though his single visit to the United States did not include Chicago. The creation of Humboldt and several other Westside parks is a key part of Chicago's history that provided beautiful green space and linked together the city's historic boulevard system.