In the commercial district of Chicago Loop, at the intersection of Washington Street and Michigan Avenue, rises a spectacular neoclassical building with Renaissance elements. The famous Chicago Cultural Center is one of the city’s most popular landmarks and an important recreational center for residents and tourists. The structure takes up an entire block and features two entrances as well as two domes with colored stained glass windows above each one. The center’s austere exterior features Bedford limestone cladding and rows of huge dark windows separated by columns. The Chicago Cultural Center traces its roots back to 1897, five years before the building was designed by Boston architects as a public library. The land was donated by the Great Republican Army Foundation, and the plan included the construction of a memorial in the north wing commemorating the troops of Northerners who fought in the Civil War. It cost two million dollars to build, and the result is still stunning: the center is a true temple of culture.
Dozens of exciting programs, interesting art exhibits (including free ones), and festivals take place every day within the walls of the Chicago Cultural Center.
The original purpose of the center was not only to house the city library, it hosted official receptions for diplomats, royalty, and all kinds of meetings at the highest level. In 1947 all the space was occupied by the library, 30 years later the building began to function as a cultural and arts center, and in 1991 the book collections finally moved to a new building outside Chicago Loop in the Harold Washington Library Center. The Chicago Cultural Center was the first national public center of its kind in the United States.
What to do
Every day within the walls of the Chicago Cultural Center there are dozens of exciting programs, interesting art exhibitions (including free ones), and festivals. For instance, during the World Music Festival and the Chicago Jazz Festival the building is transformed into an amazing art exhibit filled with the sounds of wonderful music.
Gallery spaces on the first, second, and fourth floors are devoted to art exhibits, showcasing the work of local and international artists.
A separate exhibition is devoted to “naive art,” featuring paintings by artists with various disabilities.
The huge Preston Bradley Hall, lined with snow-white marble, has magnificent acoustics, and its main highlight is a huge glass dome, consisting of 30,000 colored glass beads. It’s the largest stained-glass dome in the world created by Tiffany. Bradley Hall hosts musical and choreographic events, live music concerts, and colorful performances. The famous dome, the mother-of-pearl mosaic, and the Carrara marble veneer fit in perfectly with the events taking place in the center and create a unique backdrop for them.
To find out about upcoming exhibitions, cultural events and other city events, you can contact the Chicago Visitor Center, which is located on the first floor.