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Chicago has a lot of great things to enjoy. I have been living up the break from classes in the Music Composition for the Screen MFA. Recently, Heather, Olivia, and I went to the Art Institute of Chicago. It was really incredible. And, the price was right for my poor college budget: $free. You’re going to have to come check it out!

However, there is a caveat to it being free. You have to be an Illinois resident. Just another reason to check out the Composition Program here at Columbia College Chicago!

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There are tons of masterpieces here—and yes, they are originals. A whole room is dedicated to van Gogh. There’s also Monet, the American Gothic, and Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte by Georges-Pierre Seurat. That’s the painting you’ve surely seen before, done entirely by dots. It’s incredible to look at it up close:

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And I don’t know about you, but I always think of The Office remake, which is pretty cool too.

photo credit: nbc.com/the-office

If you haven’t been there before, you’ll notice that this place is huge! There definitely is not enough time to see all of the exhibits in one visit. Here are some interesting facts about it:

• It’s just a few blocks away from the music building!

• There are more than 260,000 works of art here.

• In 2009, a modern wing was included, which boosted attendance by 33%.

• It has 264,000 square feet, making it the second largest museum in the United States.

You’ll find sculpture, paintings, miniature houses, photography, and textiles (to name a few). Heather really loved the miniatures. She kept saying to herself that she could make things like that all day and be very happy.

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It really is an awesome place and so close to school! You’ll have to check it out!