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Prints And Drawings Room
The Department of Prints and Drawings houses an incredible collection of works on paper ranging in date from the 15th century to the present. The department is not open to the public, but as an SAIC student you can make an appointment to examine the nuances in the work of such artists as Rembrandt, Turner, Degas, and Lichtenstein. What other school provides you such insight to the thought processes of Cézannethe ideas both realized and rejectedmade accessible in an exploration of his sketchbooks?
Art Institute Of Chicago Fires All 100 Volunteer Museum Guides For Being Mostly White Women
In their hilariously entitled Indocency on Display at the Art Institute of Chicago,the Wall Street Journal reported on the purge of the institutes 100 mostly white, mostly female volunteer museum guides .
The Art Institute of Chicago crouches on Michigan Avenue, defending the surrounding Grant Park from the citys skyscrapers crowding in. Spreading over more than a million square feet, the museum has almost 300,000 works of art. And zero docents.
In museum-speak, a docent is a trained volunteer who greets visitors and guides them through the collection, filling in details of the artists lives, speaking to the visual elements of the work on display and adding art-history context. The Art Institute used to have more than 100 docents, 82 of them active, until Veronica Stein, an executive director of learning and engagement, sent a Sept. 3 email canning all of them. In gratitude for their long, unpaid serviceaveraging 15 years eachthe Art Institute offered the involuntarily retired guides a two-year free pass to the museum.
The apparent problem was that the Art Institute docents were mostly older white women of above-average financial means and with plenty of time on their hands. The institute needs to go to a more professional model, Ms. Stein explained, in a way that allows community members of all income levels to participate, responds to issues of class and income equity, and does not require financial flexibility.
Mkay.
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All Of The Art Institute Of Chicagos Trained Volunteers The Majority Of Whom Were Financially Stable Older White Women Were Let Go Last Month In An Effort To Diversify The Staff
The Art Institute has over 100 docents with 82 still active. The docents lead visitors on guided tours and provide the organization with an average of 15 years of unpaid service
Gigi Vaffis, president of the docent council, told radio station WBEZ of the firings, We were surprised, we were disappointed. There is an army of very highly skilled docents that are willing and ready and able to continue with arts education.
On Sept 3. the Womans Board Executive Director, Learning and Public Engagement Veronica Stein emailed the docents, firing all of them.
The museum needed to go down a new path, Stein wrote, in a way that allows community members of all income levels to participate, responds to issues of class and income equity, and does not require financial flexibility.
Stein offered the docents a two-year free pass to the museum as a thank you for their service.
The Wall Street Journal said Steins email indicated the mass dismissal was due to the volunteers race and socioeconomic status.
In response, the docents sent a letter on Sept. 13 detailing the staff engaged in eighteen months of twice-a-week training to qualify as a docent, five years of continual research and writing to meet the criteria of 13 museum content areas, and monthly and bi-weekly trainings to further educate ourselves with the materials, processes and cultural context of the museums pieces, per The New York Post.
Volunteers are not protected by federal employment laws.
Free Chicago Museum Days
2021 Free Chicago Museum Days.
I always recommend that everyone always call everywhere first to confirm things like days and hours of operation, ticketing procedures and free days because things change constantly. I dont recommend checking online exclusively because websites arent always updated. Thats why I always try and post phone numbers. In fact personally if I were making a big trip downtown I would call a couple times because many times people answering the phones arent aware of whats going on! Large cultural institutions do not send out updates to their free days. Many dont respond to emails.
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Update: My Response To The Institutes Board Chairman Who Attempts To Avoid The Main Issuerace
For more than 60 years, crews of volunteer and beloved docents have faithfully, skillfully and happily introduced a million school children, museum members, donors and other groups to the treasures of the Art Institute of Chicago.
The visitors, of all backgrounds from all over America and foreign countries, were elevated by docents knowledge and love of the museums 300,000 works of art. The docents contribution to the museums world-class reputation is incalculable As is the expansion of the horizons of busloads of inner city school children.
And now the docents been fired.
Unexpectedly, rudely, immediately and for the flimsiest and most insulting of reasons: Because most are white.
They will be eventually replaced by a limited number of paid educators, less experienced and knowledgable part-timers who will receive a munificent $25 dollars an hour. The current 82 volunteer docents could reapply to be among the much fewer volunteer educators who will be chosen on the basis of an income equity-focused lens. Whatever that means. How well do you think that will work?
Its hard to describe the woke nonsense in the pink slip that was delivered to the docents by the Veronica Stein, the museums Womans Board Executive Director of Learning and Public Engagement. Thats why I have included her complete recitation below. Let me know if this makes sense to you.
Its a sad commentary on what the woke mindset has gifted to usanother reduction in the quality of our lives.
List Of Chicago Transit Authority Bus Routes
This is a list of bus routes operated by the .
Routes running 24/7 are:
- N9 ” rel=”nofollow”> Red) and North/Clark only),
- N20 ,
- N22 ,
- N34 ” rel=”nofollow”> Red) and 131st/Ellis only),
- N49 ,
- N53 ,
- N55 ” rel=”nofollow”> Museum of Science and Industry and 55th/St. Louis only),
- N60 ” rel=”nofollow”> Pink) only),
- N62 ,
- ” rel=”nofollow”> Orange) and 63rd/Stony Island only),
- N66 ,
- N77 ,
- N79 ,
- N81 ” rel=”nofollow”> Blue) and Wilson/Marine Drive only),
- N87 ” rel=”nofollow”> Red) only).
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Admission And Free Hours
How much does it cost to go to the Art Institute?The cost of your general admission ticket depends on if you live in Chicago, someplace else in Illinois, or elsewhere, and if youre a student or a senior. Please refer to our ticketing chart. And remember, admission is always free for members and children under 14.Does a general admission ticket include access to special exhibitions?A general admission ticket allows you to see all of the museums nonticketed special exhibitions. Occasionally exhibitions require an additional charge.Do members need tickets?No, members never need tickets and never have to wait in admission lines. Simply show your member card and photo ID to the ticket collectors.
Do I need to purchase tickets in advance of my visit?Yes. For touchless entry, please purchase tickets in advance at sales.artic.edu.
What about free tickets? Can I get those online in advance?To redeem some free ticket typesfor Illinois educators, WIC/LINK cardholders, University Partners, Corporate Partners, members of the military and their familiesvisitors should visit the admission counter upon arrival.
- Kids under 14
- Active-duty military and their families
Visit The Art Institute Of Chicago
The renowned Art Institute of Chicago is one of the oldest and largest art museums in the country. The only museum in the world to be ranked among the worlds best by TripAdvisor four years in a row, the Art Institute is a must-see during any trip to Chicago.
Here are just a few things to know before you visit the Art Institute of Chicago.
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Veronica Steins Pink Slip To Docents:
Dear volunteer educators,
Thank you for your ongoing support of the Art Institute. I continue to be incredibly grateful for your dedication to our community and for your meaningful work.
I write to you today with an update on our volunteer educator program and our overall approach to enhancing our visitors experience of the museum through sustained, meaningful engagement with the collection. Driven by our mission to share our singular collections with our city and the world, the Art Institute is a place of gathering we foster the exchange of ideas and inspire an expansive, inclusive understanding of human creativity. Without question, much of this exchange and inspiration happens directly in our gallerieson school tours, during family visits, and recently, through virtual programs.
As a leader in our field, we continue to evolve our systems to better meet the needs of our visitors, supporters, and staff. Over the last year, we have had the opportunity to evaluate our volunteer educator program. As a civic institution, we acknowledge our responsibility to rebuild the volunteer educator program in a way that allows community members of all income levels to participate, responds to issues of class and income equity, and does not require financial flexibility to participate. Rather than refresh our current program, systems, and processes, we feel that now is the time to rebuild our program from the ground up. This means the programs current iteration will come to an end.
Tickets And Other Practicalities
Tickets should be bought online in advance of your visit. Children under 14 can visit for free. Wheelchairs are available on a first-come first-serve basis. There are several accessible parking garages near the Art Institute.
The main entrance is on Michigan Ave, but you can also enter via the dazzling Modern Wing on Monroe Street. Ask at the front desk about free talks and tours once you’re inside. Note that the 3rd-floor contemporary sculpture terrace is always free. It has great city views and connects to Millennium Park via the mod, pedestrian-only Nichols Bridgeway.
- Hours10:30am-5pm Fri-Wed, to 8pm Thu
- Priceadult/child $25/free
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Art Institute Of Chicago Amenities
Restaurants
The Art Institute has three cafesavailable for lunch and snacks, opening daily by 11am:
- MuseumCafé is a family friendly dining space with healthy menu options for adultsand children alike. Located on the lower level in McKinlock Court.
- TerzoPiano, on the third level of the Modern Wing, offers fine dining with boldMediterranean flavors and farm-sourced organic ingredients. Reservations may beneeded.
- BalconyCafé, located on the second level of the Modern Wing, is a quick orderdining spot with beverages, snacks and desserts.
Gift Shop
The museum gift shop offers a uniqueselection of jewelry, gifts, and museum adaptations, much of which is drawnfrom the works in the collections of special exhibits. Featuring paintingbooks, stationery, magnets, tote bags, and much more.
Accommodations
All visitors are welcome at theArt Institute with resources and programs specifically for children and adultswith disabilities.
- Service animals are welcome in the museum.
- Both main entrances are accessible for wheelchairs. The Modern Wing Entrance has a dedicateddrop-off lane from eastbound Monroe Street.
- Millennium Park, East Monroe Street, and GrantPark North Garages all offer accessible parking but cannot accommodateoversized vans.
- Elevators are located throughout the buildingsto access all levels.
- Manually operated wheelchairs may be used freeof charge with first-come, first-served access.
Culture And Contemporary Life
The city’s waterfront location and nightlife has attracted residents and tourists alike. Over a third of the city population is concentrated in the lakefront neighborhoods from in the north to in the south. The city has many upscale dining establishments as well as many ethnic restaurant districts. These districts include the neighborhoods, such as along 18th street, and La Villita along 26th Street the enclave of in the neighborhood , along South , immediately west of downtown , along Taylor Street in in in around Lawrence Avenue near in Uptown and the area, along in .
Downtown is the center of Chicago’s financial, cultural, governmental and commercial institutions and the site of and many of the city’s skyscrapers. Many of the city’s financial institutions, such as the and the , are located within a section of downtown called “”, which is an eight-block by five-block area of city streets that is encircled by elevated rail tracks. The term “The Loop” is largely used by locals to refer to the entire downtown area as well. The central area includes the , the , and the , as well as the Loop. These areas contribute famous , abundant restaurants, , , a for the , , , and .
contains the and the . The features the nation’s largest concentration of contemporary art galleries outside of New York City.
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Modern And Contemporary Art
Pablo PicassoThe Old Guitarist
The museum’s collection of modern and contemporary art was significantly augmented when collectors Stefan Edlis and Gael Neeson gifted 40 plus master works to the department in 2015.Pablo Picasso‘s Old Guitarist, Henri Matisse‘s Bathers by a River, Constantin Brâncui‘s Golden Bird, and René Magritte‘s Time Transfixed are highlights of the modern galleries, located on the third floor of the Modern Wing. The contemporary installation, located on the second floor, contains works by Andy Warhol, Cindy Sherman, Cy Twombly, Jackson Pollock, Jasper Johns, and other significant modern and contemporary artists.
Art Institute Of Chicago Insider Tips
Mobile app and audio tours areavailable through the Art Institutes free app with behind-the-scenes stories,expert voices, and music that transports the listener into the world of art. Theapp offers listings of current exhibits and a location-aware interactive mapfor navigational purposes.
Ask for entry fee discounts for students, teens and children, as well as Seniors . Residents of Illinois and Chicago may qualify for discounts as well.
If you are planning on visiting several tourist attractions during your visit to Chicago, check out the Chicago CityPASS, Go Chicago Card and Explorer Pass, all of them include the Art Institute.
- Total3
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