Images Courtesy Museum of Contemporary Art

The Museum of Contemporary Art of Chicago

Written by Julie Greiner

The Museum is one of Chicago's newest major museum buildings and one of the nation's largest facilities devoted to contemporary art. The Museum is located at 220 East Chicago Avenue, in the heart of the Magnificent Mile in downtown Chicago. The mission of the Museum of Contemporary Art... "to be an innovative and compelling center of contemporary art where the public can directly experience the work and ideas of living artists and understand the historical, social and cultural context of the art of our

Images Courtesy Museum of Contemporary Art

time." The Museum - located near the historic Water Tower - has expanded exhibition space, naturally-lit collection galleries, a 300-seat theater, gift store, bookstore, cafe and... a terraced sculpture garden with a view of Lake Michigan.

The History of the Museum of Contemporary Art of Chicago

The Museum opened in October of 1967 as a Kunsthalle, by a group of concerned Chicagoans who recognized the need for an internationally oriented contemporary art gallery in the city. In 1996 the Museum re-opened it doors to a magnificently designed structure by Berlin-based architect Joseph Paul Kleihues. This new building is seven times the square footage of the previous facility - totaling some 151,000 square foot of which 45,000 square foot alone is dedicated to gallery space.

Cafe Dining at Puck's at the Museum of Contemporary Art

An exciting new dining destination came to being with the Museum and chef Wolfgang Puck joining together. Wolfgang and Spago Chicago's Chef Francois Kwaku-Dongo have initiated a menu of Mediterranean and Asian cuisine. Many of Spago's signature dishes are featured. An outstanding wine list is offered with bottles from vineyards from around the world.

Photography and Painting Exhibit from MCA Collection

Artistic and media is becoming intertwined and artists have increasingly used photography to explore the express fictions that we expect from painting. This exhibition examines how photographic images have adopted the traditions of painting, including the portrait, the still life, the historical genere, as well as painting styles such as impressionism and abstraction. This exhibit of "People See Paintings" will be on display through October of 2002.

The Museum of Contemporary Art is one of the nation's largest faciltities

Images Courtesy Museum of Contemporary Art

devoted entirely to the art of our time. The MCA's operations are dependent upon support through its membership, contributions, support provided through the Chicago Community Trust, The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, American Airlines and purchases from its extensive gift and book stores. The Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. For further information call: 312-280-2660.