City Life
Cultural attractions
After the downtown Museum Campus, Hyde Park has the largest concentration of cultural organizations in the city; several are part of the University. For more museums in or near Hyde Park, see Museums and exhibitions.
Court Theatre
Web: CourtTheatre.uchicago.edu
Address: 5535 South Ellis Avenue
Box office: 3-4472
The University is home to one of the city's best professional theaters, located right on campus. Even better, University students can get tickets for $10, whether purchased in advance or within one hour of the show.
| Upcoming Court Theatre productions | |
Dates are subject to change—call first or check the Web site. |
Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House
Web: www.wrightplus.org
Address: 5757 South Woodlawn Avenue
Phone: 4-1361
Tours of this masterpiece are given by the Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust, which also conducts walking tours of campus and the Hyde Park neighborhood.
The Oriental Institute Museum
Web: http://oi.uchicago.edu
Address: 1155 East 58th Street
Phone: 2-9514
Tuesday: 10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
Wednesday: 10:00 a.m.–8:30 p.m.
Thursday–Saturday: 10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
Sunday: noon–6:00 p.m.
Monday: Closed
Suggested donation: $5
A glimpse into the University's collection of ancient Near Eastern artifacts. Exhibitions focus on the ancient cultures of Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, and Turkey.
| Upcoming Oriental Institute exhibits |
Dates are subject to change—call first or check the Web site. |
Smart Museum of Art
Web: smartmuseum.uchicago.edu
Address: 5550 South Greenwood Avenue
Phone: 2-0200
Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday: 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Thursday: 10:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m.
Saturday–Sunday: 11:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Free admission, café and shop open daily
The Smart Museum of Art houses a collection of more than 10,000 objects, spanning five millennia of both Western and Eastern civilizations. Galleries and adjacent sculpture garden feature special exhibitions and highlights from the permanent collection. The museum has a café and gift shop. Students can get involved in planning student events at the museum through the Smart Museum Activities Committee (SMAC).
| Upcoming Smart Museum exhibitions |
|
The Renaissance Society
Web: www.renaissancesociety.org
Address: Bergman Gallery, Cobb, Room 418
Phone: 2-8670
Tuesday–Friday: 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Saturday–Sunday: noon–5:00 p.m.
Free admission, closed Mondays
Established in 1915, The Renaissance Society is Chicago's oldest contemporary art museum and maintains an international reputation as one of the finest resources for contemporary art. It also sponsors concerts, performances, film and video screenings, and talks by noted artists and critics.
| Upcoming Renaissance Society exhibits |
Dates are subject to change—call first or check the Web site. |
Annual Hyde Park events
57th Street Art Fair
Every June, 500 exhibitors show their handiwork during the Midwest's oldest outdoor juried art fair.
Boulevard Lakefront Tour
A bike tour of Chicago's historic boulevards and scenic neighborhoods starts and finishes on the Midway Plaisance. Thousands of bicyclists participate each September. See www.chibikefed.org/blt/ for more info.
4th on 53rd Parade
In this annual Fourth of July celebration, a parade of citizens and community groups winds through Hyde Park and ends up in Nichols Park, where family activities are held.
57th Street Children's Book Fair
Each September, books come to life for children and their families through storytelling, singing, bookmaking, and make-believe.
Chicago Half Marathon
Every September nearly 6,000 runners take part in the 13.1-mile run, which starts and finishes at the Museum of Science and Industry.
World Music Festival Chicago
The fall festival is part of a citywide celebration of music from around the world. Check out the artists and locations at www.cityofchicago.org/WorldMusic/.
Thanksgiving Community Service
A project of the Hyde Park/Kenwood Interfaith Council in partnership with Rockefeller Chapel; the community service is oriented toward children.
Neighbor's Eve
A New Year's Eve community-wide, family-style celebration (no alcohol) is held in sites throughout the neighborhood. There's food and entertainment at each site; the Museum of Science and Industry provides trolley transportation.
Music in Hyde Park
University of Chicago Presents
Web: chicagopresents.uchicago.edu
Tickets and information: 2-8068
Professional classical music series feature world-renowned guest performers, the Pacifica Quartet, and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. Most student tickets cost $5 (or even less if you subscribe). Concerts take place in Mandel Hall unless otherwise noted. You can get free tickets by signing up for the e-mail list at concert-office@uchicago.edu.
| Upcoming Chicago Presents concerts |
Dates are subject to change—call first or check the Web site. |
Rockefeller Chapel events
Web: rockefeller.uchicago.edu
Phone: 2-2100
The chapel is a spectacular venue for music, theater, and film (with live organ accompaniment). This year's performances include Handel's Messiah, Haydn's The Seven Last Words of Christ, a carillon carolling concert, a silent film for Halloween, and a summer carillon festival that features free tours of the carillon. With the spring 2008 completion of the restoration of the organ and carillon, look for gala events featuring these treasures. Most events are not free, but there are generous student discounts. Check the chapel's Web site for details.
Other Hyde Park attractions
DuSable Museum of African American History
Web: www.dusablemuseum.org
Address: 740 East 56th Place
Phone: 947-0600
Student Admission: $2
The DuSable Museum is devoted to the history and culture of Africans and African Americans. For more information, City Life Museums and exhibitions.
Hyde Park Art Center
Web: www.hydeparkart.org
Address: 5020 South Cornell Avenue
Phone: 324-5520
The center's new, larger home has expanded galleries that showcase new and emerging Chicago-area artists, as well as classrooms and studios for students of all ages. For more information, see City Life, Art in Chicago.
Midway Plaisance Park Ice Skating
Web: www.chicagoparkdistrict.com
Address: 59th Street between University and Ellis Avenues
Recreational ice skating, ice skating classes, and ice hockey in the winter. Skate rental is available. Inline skating, outdoor movies, and concerts in the summer. Check the Web site for times and fees.
Museum of Science and Industry
Web: www.msichicago.org
Address: 57th Street and Lake Shore Drive
Phone: 684-1414
One of the most visited museums in the U.S. For more information, go to City Life, Museums and exhibitions.
