What a place! Come see the desk that Tolkien wrote The Hobbit on and the wardrobe the inspired Lewis's way into Narnia. Included are a few wonderful displays about the Inkling authors. The garden is also worth the visit.

Excellent

A must for any Lewis fan! Didn't know this place existed. Well worth the visit. The level of access to books written by and about Lewis & others is extensive. The owners really want us, the general public, to have access to these resources. Excellent, wonderful, amazing, nostalgic!

This little museum is one of the best kept secrets in all of Chicagoland! Tucked away on Wheaton’s campus, this is the perfect place for fans of C.S. Lewis and G.K. Chesterton to visit 📚 . The Narnia series has some of my favorite literary characters, both as an adult and as a kid. This location has the actual wardrobe that inspired the famous “Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe” book 📖 . The only drawback to this museum is how small it is. Most people can visit here for 30-45min and see everything there is to see. Definitely worth the trip if you haven’t been though!

An astonishing treasure and a wealth of scholarship in those curating and running the center. We were immediately offered a tour as we entered, and heard fascinating information as we enjoyed the exhibits. I believe anyone with a literary bend will enjoy a visit, especially of course those who enjoy Lewis, Tolkien, Chesterton, MacDonald, Sayers. The reading room was a complete surprise--a marvelous collection in a beautiful, quiet atmosphere. Note they are open midday hours Mon-Fri (only a couple of Saturdays a year). While you don't need tickets in advance, the staff is very interested in helping you and I recommend reaching out in advance via their website to describe your plans.

Absolutely amazing collection of CS Lewis items, artifacts, and personal possesions! The Wade Center has the best library of Lewis' personal books, many with notes and commentary in his own hand, extant. The staff are knowledgeable and friendly. What a treasure!

A small museum and a large library dedicated to C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and five of their Inkling colleagues and influences. Well worth the time.

One of the rare gems for scholars and Inklings lovers. Houses the Wardrobe which C. S. Lewis had in mind for his book as well as many other notable items belonging to Tolkien like his writing desk and his pipe. Their archives and lectures are exquisite

Small nice museum. Great place to see historical artifacts from CS Lewis, JRR Tolkin and many others

I had such a delightful visit! When my friends suggested I check this place out, I had no idea what an amazing place it was. The most exciting things to see at the Marion E. Wade Center are the writing desks of C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien and the wardrobe that Lewis and his brother played in as children. Yes, this is the wardrobe that inspired the magic one in the Chronicles of Narnia. The center has other lovely displays on the works of Tolkien and Lewis and other writers who influenced Lewis's life. It's not large or extensive, but it is worth the stop. You can just come in and look around, or you schedule a tour. I hear there is also a sort of scavenger hunt activity where you are given a sheet of things to find in the displays. Another main feature of the center is the library. It is the perfect place for anyone doing research and writing on these great authors.

Beautiful building inside and out. Something to be proud of. Lovely location and grounds.

Wade Center is for anyone who appreciates the authors Tolkein, Lewis, Chesterton, MacDonald, Sayers, Barfield and Williams. It is an amazing repository of literature and wonderful artifacts. It is appropriate for all ages.

This is a charming little museum with some larger than life displays! C.S. Lewis' childhood wardrobe and J.R.R. Tolkien's writing desk were incredible to see in person! This place is a gem and worth travelling to see.

Fascinating look into the lives of seven famous authors like JRR Tolkien, CS Lewis and Dorothy Sayers. The reading room was full of rare books to read too.

Our grandchildren loved seeing the Wardrobe and the scavenger hunt!

For those who enjoy C.S. Lewis, Dorothy Sayers, and J.R.R. Tolkien this gem is a find with its memorabilia and well -informed and welcoming staff who give tours. The Aslan Garden is delightful as well. Stop by when close to Wheaton College!

The wade center is definitely a MUST SEE if you are interesting in books. It's completely free, all you have to do is fill out a waiver and you can enjoy what the wade center has to offer in their library. Now keep in mind that the wade center is not not your average library. They contain evry book written by several legendary authors. JRR Tolkien, C.S Lewis, G.K Chesterton, the most renown members of the Inklings group if you ever heard of them. You can not take the books with you but you can stay for as long as you want until closing time. Also, the wade center contains several artifacts from each C.S Lewis and Tolkien including letters, first drafts of their books, illustrations of their book characters, their own desks, and even books they read as children that inspired their own books. They even do seminars on each author. If your are passing through west Chicago, definitely put the wade center on your travel guide if your a reader.

Great staff and incredible collection of primary and secondary source books as well as rare C.S. Lewis and J.R.R Tolkien memorabilia - including their writing desks, Lewis's wardrobe (complete with fur coats), and Lewis's childhood Boxen drawings

What a fantastic place. View C.S. Lewis' and Tolkien's desks... where they wrote and created so many fantasy universes. See the actual "Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe" wardrobe from C.S. Lewis! Learn about the inklings and how they turned the world on its imaginative ear. A slew of first-hand documents here where are the great writers shared ideas and encourage each other on. Irreplaceable and brilliant.

For we who love Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, a visit here is almost like a trip through the wardrobe. I am so thankful for the exhibit here. I hope everyone who feels the same will support the effort.

I visited while at college in 1976, and the featured authors' displayed biographies were fascinating. Since that time, I moved to England, read the "Narnia" series with my daughter, and I watched many biographies, novelizations, "Shadowlands" and "The Lord of the Ring" trilogy. I visited again last week whilst visiting Wheaton. The Wade Center has at least doubled in size, and it contains JRR Tolkien's "Hobbit" desk, and CS Lewis's desk plus the carved wardrobe that inspired the first "Narnia" book. I am truly grateful for the enlightening time that I spent at the Wade Center.

compact museum or learning centre, i would say.