You are invited to explore works of art at the world-famous Art Institute of Chicago, the Lotton Art Glass Gallery & Studio and Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park, which features one of the nation’s most distinguished collections of contemporary sculpture.
4 Unique Experiences on This Trip
- Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park
- Art 4 Soul
- The Art Institute of Chicago
- Lotton Art Glass Gallery
Duration: 3 Days
Available: Year-round
This Itinerary is Ideal For: All
Itinerary Details
Day 1
Chicago Southland & Beyond
Begin your Chicagoland Art Tour at the The Shrine of Christ’s Passion. The Shrine of Christ’s Passion is an interactive half-mile winding pathway that begins with the Last Supper and Garden of Gethsemane. Take the journey through the Passion of Christ as you view the 40 life-size bronze sculptures, each an exquisite work of art.
Come and experience one of the nation’s most distinguished collections of contemporary sculpture at the Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park at Governor State University. The park’s soaring artistic masterworks are displayed in a unique setting surrounded by the beauties of the prairie.
Minutes from the sculpture park is the Lotton Art Glass Gallery, the studios of Charles Lotton. His business began in 1970 with prayers and dreams when he began teaching himself the art of glassblowing in his backyard. Lotton’s works grace hundreds of museum collections.
To finish off the day, your group will be able to make their own piece of art at Art 4 Soul. Choose from a variety of projects, including mosaics, ceramic pieces, unique jewelry, block printing and acrylic painting. The store features original art, contemporary crafts, jewelry, home decor items, purses, accessories and gifts.
Day 2
Chicago
Start the day at The Art Institute of Chicago, whose treasured collections lure visitors to the museum from all over the world. Journey through Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas as renowned works of art, spanning 5,000 years, inform and inspire you. The Modern Art Wing features the museum’s outstanding collections of modern and contemporary art, architecture and design, and photography. Linked directly to Millennium Park with a sleek pedestrian bridge, the Art Institute of Chicago is the nation’s second-largest art museum.
Millennium Park is an award-winning center for art, music, architecture and landscape design. The 24.5-acre park features the work of world-renowned architects, planners, artists and designers. Among Millennium Park’s prominent features are the Frank Gehry-designed Jay Pritzker Pavilion, the most sophisticated outdoor concert venue of its kind in the United States; the interactive Crown Fountain by Jaume Plensa; the contemporary Lurie Garden designed by the team of Kathryn Gustafson, Piet Oudolf and Robert Israel; and Anish Kapoor’s hugely popular Cloud Gate sculpture on the AT&T Plaza. Cloud Gate is better known as “The Bean” because of its bean-like shape.
Day 3
Chicago Southland
Before heading for home, stop at the Indian Boundary Prairies. More than 250 species of plants thrive at the prairies, including endangered ones such as the prairie white fringed orchid. The Indian Boundary Prairies are an important sanctuary for butterflies and other animals. More than 350 insect species are known to inhabit the prairies along with the smooth green snake, eastern milk snake and 11 other species of amphibians and reptiles. View the prairie and then create a work of art. Artist Toni Ruppert will be on hand to conduct a painting workshop, focusing on the elements of the prairie.
