Ryan Learning Center
The museum’s hub for learning and creativity
RLC Hours
| days | hours | |
| Mon | 11–3 | |
| Tue | Closed | |
| Wed–Sun | 11–3 |
RLC Location
Find us on the first floor of the museum’s Modern Wing. Turn left after you enter at 159 East Monroe.
About the RLC
The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Learning Center (RLC) is the museum’s hub for learning and creativity, a place where you can find art making and interactive experiences all the time.
Whether you’re visiting as a family, as part of a school group, with friends, or on your own, there’s something in the RLC for you. Find out what you can do.
Children ages 13 and under must be accompanied by an adult over 18 in the RLC and the museum at all times.
Summer Programs for Families and Teens
Drop by the Ryan Learning Center this summer to explore a variety of art-making activities that the whole family will enjoy!
Family Programs
Inspired by our latest exhibitions, this summer brings creative opportunities for every young artist. Join us at our daily Artist’s Studio to explore abstract art!
Teen Art Making
Teens are invited to drop in during our Teen Open Studios or take a deeper dive into art-making practices by registering for Teen Summer Studios to explore a variety of media and techniques inspired by our latest exhibitions.
Make with Us
Families, teens, and visitors of all ages—you are invited to come by the Ryan Learning Center’s Art Exchange every day the museum is open to find creative activities and inspiration. Please note that the Art Exchange cannot accommodate visiting student, youth, or daycare groups.
The Artist’s Studio
This summer, create your own colorful abstract drawing inspired by the work of Luchita Hurtado on view in the exhibition Beyond Form: Abstraction at Midcentury. On view through October 19, 2026.
JourneyMaker
Want to create your own very own museum tour? Visit the JourneyMaker kiosks in the RLC and design a personalized gallery adventure full of fun ideas for looking and responding to art together. Choose from eight different story lines, select your works of art, and print your guide—and then head out to the galleries. You can also make your guide before you arrive.
JourneyMaker está disponible en español. JourneyMaker 有中文版本。
Generous support for JourneyMaker is provided by the Woman’s Board of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Experience with Us
The Ryan Learning Center is a sensory-rich space with areas for exploration and play, including spots for building, reading, imagination, and hands-on discovery. It’s also a place where we showcase the creative work of young artists.
Room to Draw
What can you discover when you draw? Visit the Trott Family Gallery for this immersive studio experience designed for families, and experiment with creative and unexpected drawing tools and techniques.
This installation is inspired by the exhibition Willem de Kooning Drawing, on view in Regenstein Hall June 14–September 20, 2026, and is made possible by The Willem de Kooning Foundation, New York.
Look, Listen, Touch
Use all your senses to experience a diverse range of materials that artists use to create their works. Plus, try your hand at a pattern-rubbing station featuring patterns inspired by objects in the collection. Located adjacent to the RLC entrance, the Elizabeth Morse Multisensory Gallery is accessible whenever the museum is open.
Dive deeper into your sensory exploration by listening to audio stops available through the Art Institute’s free app. You’ll find us at stops 51–54 and 56.
Art as Resistance: A Teen Art Showcase
Explore works by teen artists from across Chicagoland in this virtual showcase inspired by the 2025 exhibition Elizabeth Catlett: “A Black Revolutionary Artist and All That It Implies.”
Learn With Us
Whether you’re ready to plan your visit or want to dive deeper into programs and resources for learning with the museum, we have tips and tools for you below.
Educator Resources
Explore accessible resources for your classroom, find support from experienced museum educators for integrating works of art in your teaching, and learn more about professional development opportunities.
Teens
Meet new people. Look at art. Make art. Be inspired. Find out how to get involved in internships and programs designed by teens, for teens.
Families
With free admission for kids under 14 and Chicago teens under 18, the Art Institute is the perfect place for a creative outing with the whole family.
K–12 Student Groups
The museum is a great place for you and your students to learn. Choose from a wide variety of museum experiences that support classroom learning and meet students where they are.
