Chicago Cultural Center

Come for the beauty, stay for the programs. The beautiful, landmark Chicago Cultural Center is one of the city’s ten most popular attractions and is considered one of the most comprehensive arts showcases in the United States, presenting more than 800 free cultural programs a year.

Built in 1897 as Chicago’s first public library, the building’s interior includes antique brass, rare imported marbles, and mosaics of Favrile glass, colored stone and mother of pearl. The building’s most notable features are its two spectacular stained glass domes. The world’s largest art glass dome by Tiffany, located in Preston Bradley Hall, is approximately 38 feet in diameter; its some 30,000 pieces of glass cover more than 1,000 square feet. The body of the dome has a “fish scale” pattern, while the center shows the signs of the zodiac. In 2008 it was restored to Tiffany’s original vision when a concrete outer dome that had been added in the 1930s was removed, thereby allowing natural light through the stained glass and into the room for the first time in decades. On the other side of the building, at the entrance to the Grand Army of the Republic Hall, the Healy & Millet dome in the G.A.R. Rotunda was executed in a colorful and intricate Renaissance floral pattern. It is tentatively scheduled for restoration in 2009.

The Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and its partners present a wide range of the performing, visual and literary arts at the Cultural Center. Programs showcase classical, jazz, world, folk, pop and vocal music concerts; readings and performances of new and classic plays; modern dance performances; film screenings; lectures and art discussions; and more. Exhibitions ranging from international traveling shows to one-person shows by local artists present a wide range of traditional and new media, including painting, sculpture, photography, graphics, crafts, architecture and design.

The Cultural Center also houses the Cultural Center Café, the Shop at the Cultural Center gift shop, the Chicago Office of Tourism Visitor Information Center and Renaissance Court, which presents programs for older adults and exhibitions by senior artists and is operated by the Chicago Department of Senior Services.