 As a progressive social Chicago leader, Gunsaulus sought to influence public access to social institutions.He served as a board member of the Art Institute of Chicago (Gunsaulus Hall is named after him) and was founding board member of the Field Museum of Natural History where there is another Gunsaulus Hall.Gunsaulus held "chair" positions as a lecturer at Yale theological seminary in 1893 and professorial lecturer at the University of Chicago.