Tour One |
Location: |
The Loop |
Destination: |
The Art Institute of Chicago, on South Michigan Avenue at Adams Street, in a classical beaux arts building where the mighty bronze lions by Edward Kemys have welcomed visitors from around the world for over 100 years. |
Highlights: |
The museum has one of the world's greatest collections of Impressionist paintings, including
- Many Claude Monet images of haystacks and a few water lilies
- Georges Seurat's Sunday Afternoon on the Island of Grand Jatte, one of the museum's signature paintings
- Pablo Picasso paintings and sculpture representative of his entire career
- Edward Hopper's Nighthawks
- Modern masterpieces by Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, Willem deKooning
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More time?
| - For a look at five centuries of decorative arts, add a few minutes to visit the unique and renowned Thorne Rooms
- The Chicago Stock Exchange Trading Room designed by Louis Sullivan, rescued from the wrecker's ball and re-constructed in the Columbus Drive entrance.
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Tips: |
- Tuesday is a Free Day ... and open until 8:00 pm ... but it's crowded.
- For relative quiet in the galleries, try to visit on Monday (not many museums are open on Monday) or Wednesday.
- But don't count on an early start: the museum doesn't open until 10:30 am
- Admission Price: Adults - $8.00 Students and Seniors - $5.00
- Closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day
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Hungry? |
- In an encyclopaedic museum like the Art Institute, not only are there are a variety of works, but also dining opportunities, from the cafeteria to the Court Garden Restaurant overlooking Grant Park and Lake Michigan
- In summer, outdoor dining in McClintock Court
- Or go across the street (Michigan Avenue) to the Russian Tea Room on West Adams
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More information: |
- www.artic.edu
- Telephone: (312) 443-3600
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Tour Two |
Location: |
North Michigan Avenue |
Destination: |
The Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 East Chicago Avenue, a block east of Chicago landmark, the Water Tower, on Michigan Avenue |
Highlights: |
Have you a passion for contemporary art? Maybe just want to learn about it?
- Regularly scheduled travelling exhibitions supplement the highlights of the permanent collection, works from 1945 to the present day
- Alexander Calder's mobiles
- Robert Rauschenberg's paintings
- Jasper Johns
- Richard Serra
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More time? |
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Tips: |
- Many MCA visitors come to learn more about contemporary art where there are regularly scheduled gallery talks and walks
- Monday to Friday at 1:00 pm
- Saturday and Sunday: 10:00 am, 11:00 am, 12:00 noon and 1:00 pm
- You can call in advance to arrange a tour tailored just to your party's interests
- There is also a light and airy book store and gift shop
- Hours: Tuesday: 10:00 am - 8:00 pm; Wednesday to Sunday: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Admission costs: Adults - $8.00; Students and Seniors - $5.00
- Closed: Monday Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Years Day.
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Hungry? |
- Puck's at the MCA offers many of famed Californian chef Wolfgang Puck's signature dishes. (Double-storey glass walls separate the year-round inside dining space from the good-weather outside terrace.)
- More casual fare at Flat Sammie's right down the street
- Or Food Life, the innovative food-court in the Water Tower mall just across the street at 845 N. Michigan Ave.
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More information: |
- www.mcachicago.org
- Telephone: (312) 280-2660
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Tour Three |
Location: |
North Michigan Avenue |
Destination: |
Interested in purchasing art? In the John Hancock building at 875 N. Michigan Avenue are two wonderful galleries:
- Richard Gray Gallery, suite 2503
- Allan Koppel Gallery, suite 2850
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Highlights: |
Richard Gray Gallery
- Specialises in modern and contemporary masters
- Twentieth-century American and European paintings, drawings and sculpture
Allan Koppel Gallery
- Specialises in modern and contemporary master works of art, as well as fine French and Italian furniture from the 1920s to the 1950s.
- Exploring the dialogue between artworks of diverse mediums and styles, carries works in a variety of mediums, including painting, drawing, sculpture, photography and mixed media.
- Each of the works, whether furniture or art, is selected with a sensitive eye towards aesthetics and functionality
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Tips: |
- Enter Gallery; When you find a work that catches your eye, begin to ask questions, such as: Who is the artist? What is the date of the object? Where does the artist live? What were the materials used? Do you have other works by the artist?
- When discussing price, ask for collector's discount.
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Hungry? |
- Tru Restaurant recently opened to Chefs Rick Trumonte and Gale Gand.
- Tip - Make sure to check out the unique restroom décor
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More information: |
- Carol Nasaw at: Ccarol4art.com
- Telephone: (312) 961 3798·
- For deluxe custom art and architecture tours, contact Joan Arenberg at Art on the Move Tours at artonmove@aol.com.
- Telephone: 847- 432-6265
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Tour Four |
Location: |
No Problem, We'll Take a Cab |
Destination: |
The Chicago Architecture Foundation
- Santa Fe Building at 224 South Michigan
- (or) The John Hancock Center, 875 North Michigan Avenue
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Highlights: |
- Sign up for one of their walking tours in a neighbourhood of your choice. Cost - $10.00 per person
- Between May and October: The Chicago River tour. Two hours of water-cruising tour, easily one of the major cultural attractions in the city
- Cost - $18.00 per person
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Tips: |
- Dress according to the weather
- Bring lots of film
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Hungry? |
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More information: |
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Tour Five |
Location: |
River North |
Destination: |
SuHu (Superior and Huron Streets between Wells and Orleans Streets) Chicago has a wide and varied community of art galleries in the River North Area. Over 50 art galleries in walking distance are open
- Tuesday to Saturday: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Many Friday night openings
More avant-garde galleries are located in the West Loop area, and they typically join for openings on the third Thursdays. |
Highlights: |
Emerging Artists: Work exhibited includes
- Contemporary painting and sculpture at
- Carl Hammer Gallery
- Perimeter
- Zolla/Lieberman Gallery
- Glass sculpture at
- Marx/Saunders
- Habitat
- Tribal arts at
- Douglas Dawson Gallery
- Photographs
- Catherine Edelman and Stephen Daiter Gallery
- Latin Art
- Aldo Castillo Gallery
- Works from the early Twentieth Century
- Robert Henry Adams Gallery
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More time? |
- Art 2001, Chicago
- Sofa
- Gallery openings
- Day of the Dead - Mexican Fine Arts
- Chicago Cultural Center
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Tips: |
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Hungry? |
- Contemporary American cuisine at Harvest on Huron
- Italian Food, try Scoozi
In the West Loop:
- One of the best hamburgers in town at the Green Door
- Wildly popular and inexpensive Wishbone
- Upscale dining at Grace and at Blackbird
Blackbird - 619 W. Randolph 312-715-0708
Wishbone - 1001 W. Washington 312- 850-2663 |
More information: |
- Chicago Gallery News
- Telephone: (312) 649 0064
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