ART INSTITUTE MOVES FREE HOURS TO THURSDAY AND FRIDAY EVENINGS

New Museum Summer Hours Begin June 3, 2006

Free "Museum Blues" Summer Hours Celebration Hosted by WBEZ's Niles Frantz on First Ford Free Evenings, June 8 and 9

May 25, 2006

MEDIA CONTACT:                 
Erin Hogan
(312) 443-3664

The Art Institute of Chicago is pleased to announce new summer and free hours beginning Saturday, June 3, 2006. As of June 3, the galleries will be open Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays until 5:00 p.m. Chicagoans will now also enjoy Ford Free Evenings: two evenings per week of free admission on Thursdays and Fridays from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m., featuring live music and museum tours at 5:30 and 7:00 p.m. These free evenings hours replace Ford Free Tuesdays. In addition, as of June 3 the Art Institute will be even more accessible to families--all children under 12 will enter free of charge!

Ford Free Evenings are made possible by Ford Motor Company Fund.

Please note the following Art Institute new summer hours of operation:

** Beginning June 3 through Labor Day **

Museum and Museum Shop Hours
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday: 10:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Thursday, Friday: 10:30 a.m.–9:00 p.m.; Ford Free Evenings 5:00–9:00 p.m.
Saturday, Sunday: 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

The Café
Daily 11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Beginning June 8: Thursdays and Fridays, 11:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Garden Restaurant
Indoor Garden Restaurant dining hours: daily 11:30 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Beginning June 8, McKinlock Court will be open on Thursday and Friday evenings, 5:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m. with live music. Drinks and light fare will be available. All outdoor activities weather permitting.

Ford Motor Company Fund will continue to sponsor the Art Institute's popular free hours-previously on Tuesdays, and now Thursday and Friday evenings from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. until Labor Day. "Ford Motor Company Fund is pleased to continue its partnership with the Art Institute of Chicago with the launch of 'Ford Free Evenings.' For more than five years, Ford has supported the Art Institute's free admission day, offering visitors throughout the Chicago area a special opportunity to view the museum's important collections and exhibitions free of charge," said Sandra E. Ulsh, president, Ford Motor Company Fund. "At Ford, we are committed to enriching our communities through programs like Ford Free Evenings and to providing broader access to the arts for children, families, students, and all visitors to the Art Institute."

In celebration of this new initiative, visitors are invited to participate in a wide range of free programs organized around its first Ford Free Evenings on Thursday, June 8, and Friday, June 9, beginning at 5:00 p.m. Stop by the Art Institute before heading over to the Chicago Blues Festival (June 8–11) in Grant Park, as Chicago Public Radio's very own Niles Frantz hosts "Museum Blues"!  Programs include "BluesArt" tours of the museum's collection at 5:30, 6:30, and 7:30 p.m., and live music throughout the museum by such blues performers as Erwin Helfer, Katherine Davis, Barrelhouse Chuck, Joe Filisko, Eric Noden, and Jeff Kust. The Garden Restaurant and its courtyard will also share summer hours, offering a delicious selection of blues-inspired cocktails and light fare! All programs are free and open to the public--no museum admission required on Ford Free Evenings, which continue throughout the summer until Labor Day and will all feature entertainment and special programming.