Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Chicago Archicenter
Ages 13 & up.
Chicago's architecture is one of the
city's main claims to fame, and a quick swing through this center will help you
understand why. Run by the well-regarded Chicago Architecture Foundation,
it's conveniently located across the street from the Art Institute. Still trying to
figure out the difference between Prairie School and postmodern? Stop in here
for a lesson. Exhibits include a scale model of downtown Chicago, profiles of the
people and buildings that shaped the city's look, and a searchable database with
pictures and information on many of Chicago's best-known skyscrapers. “Archi-
tecture ambassadors” are on hand to provide information on tours run by the
foundation (see “Chicago Architecture Foundation Tours,” p. 189). Two gal-
leries feature changing exhibits about ongoing Chicago design projects—so you
can see firsthand how local architecture continues to evolve. There's also an
excellent gift shop filled with architecture-focused books, decorative accessories,
and gifts. Allow a half-hour, more if you want to browse in the store.
224 S. Michigan Ave.
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312/922-3432.
www.architecture.org. Free admission. Exhibits open daily
9:30am-4pm. Shop and tour desk open Mon-Sat 9am-6:30pm; Sun 9am-6pm. Subway/El: Brown, Green,
Orange, or Purple Line to Adams; Red Line to Jackson. Bus: 3, 4, 145, 147, or 151.
Chicago Cultural Center
Ages 3 & up.
Free family programs are the
main attraction of this landmark building, built in 1897 as the city's public
library and transformed into a showplace for visual and performing arts in 1991.
Its basic Beaux Arts exterior conceals a sumptuous interior of rare marble, fine
hardwood, stained glass, polished brass, and mosaics of Favrile glass, colored
stone, and mother-of-pearl inlaid in white marble. The crowning centerpiece is
Preston Bradley Hall's majestic Tiffany dome, said to be the largest of its kind in
the world.
The building also houses one of the Chicago Office of Tourism's visitor cen-
ters, which makes it a good place to kick-start your visit. If you stop in to pick
up tourist information and take a quick look around, your visit won't take longer
than half an hour. But the Cultural Center also hosts an array of art exhibitions,
concerts, films, lectures, and other special events (many free), which might con-
vince you to extend your time here. Programs might include African drumming,
a recital by a mezzo-soprano from the Lyric Opera, or readings by Chicago play-
wrights. A long-standing tradition is the 12:15pm Dame Myra Hess Memorial
classical concert every Wednesday in the Preston Bradley Hall. Other ongoing
programs include a monthly cultural festival—which highlights a different city
or country over a weekend with art, theater, and film.
Guided architectural tours of the Cultural Center are offered Wednesday, Fri-
day, and Saturday at 1:15pm. For information, call
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312/744-8032.
78 E. Washington St.
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312/744-6630,
or 312/FINE-ART for weekly events. Fax 312/744-2089. www.city
ofchicago.org/exploringchicago. Free admission. Mon-Thurs 10am-7pm; Fri 10am-6pm; Sat 10am-5pm; Sun
11am-5pm. Closed holidays. Subway/El: Brown, Green, Orange, or Purple Line to Randolph; Red Line to Wash-
ington/State. Bus: 3, 4, 20, 56, 60, 145, 146, 147, 151, or 157.
Chicago Fed Visitors Center
It's not worth a special trip (unless you're a
huge Alan Greenspan fan), but the Visitors Center at the Federal Reserve Bank
of Chicago makes for a surprisingly kid-friendly stop if you're touring the Loop's
other attractions. Offering more than just the standard history-of-banking
exhibits, the center has kid-friendly features such as a giant cube that holds a
million dollars, and an exhibit that lets kids try to detect counterfeit bills. And
yes, there's even a section where visitors can pretend to be Alan Greenspan for a
moment, and learn how changes in interest rates affect the economy. Free guided
tours are offered weekdays at 1pm. Allow a half-hour.
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