Chicago Cultural Center / Millenium Park / Sunset
March 31, 2010I went over to the Chicago Cultural Center today. Completed in 1897, it is one of the oldest buildings in the city of Chicago. Originally the grand central library of the city and the Grand Army of the Republic Museum, and it cost $2 million. It is now the nation’s first free cultural center, and sees over 820,000 visitors per year. The building itself is gorgeous (below). It is located at Randolph Street and Michigan Avenue, right across from Millennium Park.
Up on the third floor of the south side of the building is Preston Bradley Hall, which contains a 38-foot Tiffany dome, the largest of its kind in the world (below). The building houses over 1,000 different exhibitions each year, and today was no different – there was a rather beautiful piano recital.
The building also has lots in other interesting architectural details, reflecting the grand style of the time.
On the north side of the building you will find the Grand Army of the Republic Memorial – a beautiful rotunda with an enormous stained glass dome (pictured below).
I then went over to catch the end of the day at Millennium Park.
Finally I watched the sunset.
