| Chicago has museums which are educational and | | | | exhibits, divided into three buildings. The |
| cultural landmarks. If you are planning a | | | | only connection between the three buildings |
| student outing or field trip in Chicago, then | | | | is Gunsaulus Hall, throughout which arms and |
| these great museums should be on your list of | | | | armor are prominently displayed. |
| places to visit. Here is a brief guide to | | | | |
| three of the most important museums in | | | | One especially unique exhibit found at the |
| Chicago. | | | | Art Institute is the display in the Thorne |
| | | | Miniature Rooms. The collection contains 68 |
| Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum | | | | rooms that are miniature replications of |
| | | | rooms ranging from the 17th century to the |
| On the shores of Lake Michigan, on Chicago's | | | | 1930s. The rooms focus on American, |
| Museum Campus, the Adler Planetarium and | | | | European, and Oriental decorative arts, with |
| Astronomy Museum is dedicated to the study of | | | | architectural interiors from the various time |
| planets, moons, stars, and distant galaxies. | | | | periods. |
| | | | |
| Founded in 1930 by Max Adler, this facility | | | | Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio |
| was the first planetarium in America. The | | | | |
| original 1930's building still remains, but | | | | Another great Chicago landmark is the Frank |
| in recent years a new addition, the Sky | | | | Lloyd Wright Home and Studio which has been |
| Pavilion, was added to increase exhibit | | | | restored and preserved as a museum. It's a |
| space. Today, the Museum features one of the | | | | memorial to one of our country's most |
| largest and most important collections in the | | | | influential and innovative architects, Frank |
| world, including more than 2,000 historic | | | | Lloyd Wright. |
| astronomical, navigational, and mathematical | | | | |
| instruments. | | | | Best known for his Prairie style of |
| | | | architecture, Wright moved away from the |
| Some highlights of the planetarium include | | | | detailed ornamental abundance in the |
| exhibits on the Solar System, the Milky Way | | | | Victorian homes of the time and created a |
| Galaxy, the history of astronomical | | | | style that focused on simplicity and clean |
| discovery, and an exhibit showing how | | | | lines. |
| astronomy has affected various cultures. | | | | |
| Teachers planning student tours of the | | | | In 1889, Wright borrowed $5,000 from Louis |
| Planetarium can take advantage of on-site | | | | Sullivan to build his Oak Park home. At the |
| educational programs and pre-visit lesson | | | | time, Wright was working for Sullivan's |
| plans. | | | | architecture firm as a draftsman. Sullivan |
| | | | and Wright parted company in 1893. Wright |
| The Art Institute of Chicago | | | | began his own architectural practice in |
| | | | Chicago. In 1898, Wright added the studio |
| The Art Institute of Chicago houses one of | | | | onto his home. |
| the world's best art collections. With more | | | | |
| than 300,000 works on display, representing | | | | Wright moved away from the home in 1909 and |
| over 40 centuries of art, the Institute's | | | | finally sold the house in 1925. Over the |
| collections include some of the finest and | | | | years, the home fell into severe disrepair. |
| most famous art ever created. | | | | It was not until 1974, when the Frank Lloyd |
| | | | Wright Home and Studio Foundation was formed. |
| The Art Institute began as the Chicago | | | | |
| Academy of Design, founded by a small group | | | | Plans were made to turn the house into a |
| of artists in 1866. The first collections | | | | historic museum and education center |
| included a gift of plaster casts from the | | | | dedicated to Wright and his work. It took 13 |
| French Government. Many other name changes | | | | years and three million dollars to |
| occurred before becoming The Art Institute of | | | | meticulously restore the house to its 1909 |
| Chicago in 1882. | | | | appearance. |
| | | | |
| Art collections include: European and | | | | Students can tour the Home and Studio and |
| American paintings, African and Asian art, | | | | learn about both Wright's life and work. In |
| architecture, photography, textiles, and | | | | addition to seeing where Wright lived and |
| sculpture. Some of the individual highlights | | | | worked for 20 years, the home also contains a |
| include masterpieces such as Seurat's A | | | | number of furniture pieces and decorative art |
| Sunday on La Grande Jatte--1884, Cassatt's | | | | objects designed and built by Wright. |
| The Bath, and Wood's celebrated American | | | | |
| Gothic. | | | | Chicago's Adler Planetarium, The Art |
| | | | Institute of Chicago and Frank Lloyd Wright |
| The Institute also boasts an impressive | | | | Home and Studio are all sites of exceptional |
| collection of works by artists such as Monet, | | | | scientific and cultural importance and are |
| Renoir, Degas, Van Gogh, and many others. | | | | fruitful venues for student tours in the |
| | | | windy city. |
| The Institute consists of three levels of | | | | |