Chicago's Art Institute

May 3rd Chicago Tribune.

The Modern Wing of Chicago's Art Institute opened May 16th and features 20th and 21st century art in the 264,000 square -foot addition.

Of course, the Art Institute occupies a prominent spot by the eastern terminus of famed Route 66.

AN ART INSTITUTE TIMELINE


1879-- The Chicago Academy of Fine Arts is founded on the southwest corner of State and Monroe streets.

1882-- The name was changed to the Art Institute of Chicago.

1893-- The Art Institute opens Dec. 8th at its present site on land filled with rubble from the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.

1894-- The famous bronze lions take their spots by the front steps.

1901-- Ryerson Library is built.

1916-- Gunsaulus Hall built to span the Central Illinois tracks and allow expansion to the east.

1960-- The North Garden built.

1965-- The South Garden built. Lorado Taft's "Fountain of the Great Lakes," built from 1907-1913, is reinstalled.

1977-- Reconstruction of a portion of the original Chicago Stock Exchange Building from 1893 is completed in the East Wing.

Love Those Lions. --RoadDog