Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA)
Chicago
220 East Chicago Avenue
Chicago
Illinois
Josef Paul Kleiheus 1996
German architect Josef Kleiheus’ first U.S.
commission opened with a 24-hour Summer Solstice celebration in June of 1996. The MCA
operates an informative website
with an "About the Building" section that has pictures of the building process
and a profile of the architect, so we'll refer you there - although the site doesn’t
mention my favorite part of the building (aside from the views of Lake Michigan): the
goldfish staircase. You’ll just have to go to find out what that is...
Christy Rogers 1998
How to visit
The MCA is just off Lakeshore Drive, between
Chicago Avenue and Pearson Street, conveniently near Watertower Place for those in your
party who don’t want to "do" a musuem (there is always one). Across from
the museum, Seneca Park (on Mies van der Rohe Way) is a nice place to have lunch, graced
with public sculpture--including one of my favorites, a horse by Deborah Butterfield
(above).
The museum is closed on Mondays, Thanksgiving,
December 25, and January 1. Admission is $6.50 adults; $4.00 students and seniors and free
to children under 12. "Free day" (almost all the museums in Chicago have them)
is the first Tuesday of each month.
