Discover how to choose a tour that will activate students’ critical thinking and develop webs of connection to their lived experiences.
Since the museum’s volunteer educator program was first established in 1961, these devoted volunteers have sparked a lifelong love of art for thousands of students and visitors.
We are welcoming new volunteers to the program this fall.
The Art Institute boasts an outstanding collection of American Art—fitting for a classic American city. Find some of the icons below.
Comprising works spanning five millennia and all of the continent’s major artistic traditions, the Art Institute’s collection of Asian art is especially wide-ranging. Enjoy a few highlights from this spectacular collection.
The Obamas not only selected two groundbreaking contemporary artists, Kehinde Wiley and Amy Sherald, to paint their portraits, but as president and first lady, they also showcased an inclusive art collection while at the White House.
The Art Institute’s collection of Korean art spans more than 2,000 years of artistic production and includes exquisite celadon ceramics, striking ink paintings, and contemporary works that carry the artistic heritage of Korea’s past into the present day.
Four writers select works from four continents in an exploration of the involuntary but essential act of taking in air.
Bisa Butler’s quilts are exuberant, colorful, and almost photo-like—arresting and complex objects made entirely of fabric that has been carefully cut, layered, and stitched together.
An updated selection of extraordinary paintings at the Art Institute of Chicago, featuring works from around the globe and dating from ancient Egypt to the present day.
In The Herring Net (1885), Winslow Homer captures the conflict between man and nature in his depiction of two fishermen hauling in a herring net amidst a stormy and powerful seascape.
A cinquain is a five-line poem. Some forms of cinquain poetry follow specific rules regarding patterning and number of syllables per line. This activity will follow the guidelines for a didactic cinquain poem.
This handmade sculpture’s energetic gestures and lively facial expression suggest a strong and vibrant personality. Unearthed from an ancient tomb, the figure represents a timeless recording of history, legends, and myths.
This suit of ceremonial armor includes more than 22 pieces that could be mixed for parade and sporting tournaments. Students will learn about the production and functions of armor and about the role of the knight in 16th-century Europe.
